Education for Sustainable Development in Costa Rica

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has emerged as a cornerstone of Costa Rica's national identity, reflecting a historical commitment to environmental conservation, social equity, and educational excellence that distinguishes the country within Latin America and globally. This study examines the implementation, evolution, and outcomes of ESD across Costa Rica's education system, drawing upon national policy frameworks, curricular analysis, and empirical evidence from institutional practices and international assessments. Costa Rica's approach is distinguished by the early constitutional commitment to free and compulsory education since 1869, the 1949 abolition of the military redirecting resources toward education and environmental programmes, the systematic integration of environmental themes into the national curriculum since 1977, and the innovative "Peace with Nature" Presidential Initiative that positions ESD as a transformative pedagogical framework. The research identifies four critical dimensions of Costa Rican ESD: the transversal integration of sustainability themes across all educational levels, the whole-institution approach linking schools with conservation areas and communities, the development of teacher competencies through the Earth Charter framework, and the alignment of education with national decarbonisation goals. Findings indicate that Costa Rica has achieved remarkable success in establishing policy frameworks and public awareness, with 79% of citizens knowledgeable about climate change and the country reversing deforestation to restore over 50% forest cover. However, persistent challenges include the gap between policy intention and classroom implementation, insufficient teacher training in ESD pedagogies, limited climate change-specific content in higher education, and the need for more robust monitoring mechanisms to assess the behavioural impacts of ESD. The study concludes that Costa Rica's model offers valuable insights for nations seeking to integrate sustainability into education, while highlighting the necessity of sustained investment in teacher professional development, systematic curriculum monitoring, and the translation of environmental awareness into transformative action.