Climate Change Education and Environmental Sustainability in Norway

Abstract

Climate change education and environmental sustainability have become central pillars of Norway's educational reform agenda, reflecting the nation's commitment to addressing ecological crises through transformative pedagogy and systemic curriculum change. This study examines the implementation, evolution, and outcomes of climate change education across Norway's education system, drawing upon the 2020 Knowledge Promotion Reform, institutional case studies, and empirical evidence from school-level practices. Norway's approach is distinguished by the integration of sustainable development as one of three interdisciplinary themes—alongside democracy and citizenship, and public health and life skills—within a renewed core curriculum that emphasises in-depth learning, critical thinking, and student agency. The research identifies four critical dimensions: the interdisciplinary theme framework, the whole-school approach to sustainability, the university-school partnerships for ESD capacity building, and the tension between policy ambition and teacher readiness. Findings indicate that while Norway has achieved significant progress in embedding sustainability into national curriculum frameworks, implementation remains uneven, with some teachers reluctant to work interdisciplinary and students questioning the relevance of integrated approaches. Persistent challenges include time and resource constraints, the need for enhanced teacher professional development, and the difficulty of aligning assessment practices with ESD pedagogies. The study concludes that Norway's model offers valuable insights for nations seeking to integrate climate change education through interdisciplinary curriculum design, while highlighting the necessity of sustained investment in teacher capacity, leadership commitment, and systemic alignment between curriculum, assessment, and institutional practices.