Education for sustainable development as a driver of enhanced human development: a cross-country analysis

Minić, Aleksandra and Filipović, Sanja and Muhammad, Naeem (2026) Education for sustainable development as a driver of enhanced human development: a cross-country analysis. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 16 (54). ISSN 2192-0567

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Abstract

The Human Development Index serves as the primary benchmark for measuring progress across its three dimensions: education, health, and income. However, it relies on limited education indicators, with the economic aspect being significantly more prominent. This dominance restricts the capacity of the Human Development Index to adequately reflect development that focuses on sustainability. Education for Sustainable Development is underrepresented within Human Development Index frameworks, which can be attributed in part to a lack of comprehensive global data. This research utilizes Transformative Learning Theory to contend that the exclusion of Education for Sustainable Development overlooks essential competencies needed to tackle sustainability challenges and risks. This omission exacerbates inequalities in access to quality education among countries with different Human Development Index levels. The inadequate quality of education and the absence of responsible educational approaches in certain countries pose substantial barriers to the development of effective long-term strategies for sustainability.

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