Education is a key tool for social transformation and the promotion of sustainability, as established by international and national frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda, the European GreenCom framework, and the current Spanish education law (LOMLOE).
Spain’s formal education system, therefore, has the opportunity to strengthen schools as strategic hubs for social transformation. However, several barriers hinder the true integration of sustainability into the curriculum, such as teacher training and the lack of comprehensive school-wide projects addressing the topic. As a result, many initiatives remain isolated and sporadic rather than systematically embedded in the educational framework.
To better understand the external support available to schools for incorporating this approach comprehensively, the article, published in the Revista Española de Pedagogía, conducts a documentary analysis of educational programs for sustainability and climate action in Madrid. These programs, developed by social organizations, private entities and public institutions, are evaluated for their alignment with the current educational framework and their impact on schools.
The study’s findings indicate that many of these initiatives have not yet fully adapted to the new education law, limiting their curricular integration. Organizations have the opportunity to update their programs to better support teachers and school administrators by offering resources aligned with the school curriculum. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for teacher training as a key element in ensuring the effective incorporation of sustainability and climate action education in schools.
Another key finding is the importance of adopting a comprehensive and collaborative approach in the implementation of these initiatives. It is recommended that programs not only have a clear impact in the classroom and curriculum but also promote practical and tangible experiences, involving the entire educational community. Schools are encouraged to act as transformation hubs within their local environments, establishing connections with their neighborhoods and fostering a collective vision for change.
The study also underscores the need for a more systematic evaluation of the impact of these programs. Many initiatives lack assessment mechanisms to measure their long-term reach and effectiveness. Additionally, funding for these projects is often temporary, making it difficult to establish sustainable long-term experiences. Therefore, the study recommends the creation of more stable funding strategies and cross-sector collaboration to ensure the continuity of these initiatives.
Finally, while sustainability and climate action education in Madrid has a well-established trajectory, the study recognizes opportunities for improving coordination among different stakeholders. It suggests fostering cross-learning between organizations, strengthening inter-school collaboration networks, and expanding discussions with the participation of teachers, administrators, and students. Although the study’s recommendations focus on Madrid, they may be applicable to other contexts, as the identified challenges are common across various regions and educational systems.
