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A United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–14)

The launch of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) (2005–2014) was accompanied by a series of high-profile events and celebratory activities across the globe, which raised awareness about the Decade's objectives. Now, as the DESD approaches its mid-term, many stakeholders are asking these questions: What will change as a result of the DESD? What will be its legacy? This article reviews the explicit intentions of the Decade and explores its current and potential contributions. It raises issues about how to assess the progress in education for sustainable development (ESD) during the Decade and questions whether it is possible to effectively evaluate the Decade's impact. It concludes by acknowledging that the success of the DESD will be judged not only by the UN Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms set in place by UNESCO but also by how the diverse expectations from stakeholders are met.