Highlighted Session: Sustainability, Climate Change, and the City

Group Submission Type: Highlighted Paper Session

Proposal

The phenomenon of globalization has renewed interest in viewing cities as key actors in the global system, particularly in addressing sustainability challenges. With over 55% of the global population residing in urban areas—projected to reach 70% by 2050 (United Nations, 2023)—cities are increasingly recognized for their pivotal role in advancing sustainability. Frameworks such as Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement (2015), and the New Urban Agenda (2016) highlight the significant role of city governments in tackling climate change and other sustainability issues. These initiatives emphasize the capacity of local governments to not only advance sustainability but also to engage citizens and tailor the SDGs to local contexts. Furthermore, research has shown that the adoption of environmental and climate change policies tends to occur more rapidly at the city level compared to the national level.

Despite the growing recognition of cities' roles in sustainability, there remains a significant gap in research regarding the integration of education into urban climate action plans. Most studies on Environmental Education (EE), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Education for Sustainability (ESE), and Climate Change Education (CCE) have focused predominantly on national-level policies and frameworks. To date, research on global educational movements (e.g., EE/ESD/ESE/CCE) has largely been impressionistic, due in part to the paucity of data suitable for a rigorous exploration. This gap means that the unique opportunities and challenges faced by cities in implementing educational initiatives at the local level are often overlooked. By examining how cities incorporate education into their climate strategies, this panel aims to fill this gap and provide a deeper understanding of how local contexts shape educational approaches to sustainability.

This panel presents three papers that examine the intersection of education and sustainability from various comparative and cross-city perspectives. The first paper by Carine Verschueren explores local pathways to Environmental Sustainability Education policies in three major U.S. school districts: New York City Public Schools, Denver Public Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools. The second paper, by Laura Engel and colleagues, investigates the role of cities in the global governance of Education for Sustainable Development using three cases: Seoul (Korea), San Jose (Costa Rica), and Washington, DC (U.S.). Finally, the third paper, by Carine Verschueren and Oren Pizmony-Levy, offers a cross-city analysis of how the education sector contributes to climate action in 55 global cities. Taken together, the three papers highlight the critical role that cities play in advancing sustainability and climate action through education. Our discussant, Radhika Iyengar, will provide critical reflections on the findings, drawing connections between the different approaches and identifying key implications for policy and practice.

Sub Unit

• Environmental and Sustainability Education SIG

Chair

• Oren Pizmony-Levy, Teachers College, Columbia University

Individual Presentations

• Local Pathways to Environmental, Sustainability and Climate Change Education Policies: A Comparative Case Study of Three Large School Districts - Carine Verschueren, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• The Global Governance of Education for Sustainable Development: Cities as Critical Policy Spaces - Doo Rhee Lee, The George Washington University; Imesha Ediriweera Patabendige; Jessie Wetherby, The George Washington University; Maha Tahira Malik; Laura C. Engel, The George Washington University

Discussant

• Radhika Iyengar, Columbia University, climate School