No Poverty

The impact of more and better education on future incomes and poverty eradication has been abundantly demonstrated. Students from low-income families tend to face more barriers to achieving educational success. We can help to break this cycle by promoting universal and free access to quality education with adequate support to vulnerable students, and by providing the skills and knowledge necessary to access decent and better-paid jobs

No Hunger

Aside from its impact on future income and purchasing power, and, therefore, on hunger, a relevant and well-contextualized education can also promote sustainable agriculture practices, food security and nutrition education, leading to better food systems and healthier lifestyles. In addition, providing free school meals can be transformative for children and young people.

Good Health

Education helps individuals make informed decisions about their health, promotes disease prevention and control and can reduce the stigma associated with health issues. Furthermore, healthy schools can play a role in promoting their students’ own health and nutrition and in teaching them how to live a healthy life.

Quality Education

This Goal directly relates to education and highlights the importance of improving access to quality and relevant education for all individuals, without any exclusion; promoting lifelong learning opportunities; and ensuring equitable and inclusive education systems.

Gender Equality

Education promotes gender equality and empowers women and girls by increasing their access to learning and life opportunities, as well as through a gender-sensitive curriculum free of harmful gender stereotypes. It helps to reduce child marriage, gender-based violence and discrimination against women and sexually diverse persons.

Clean Water Sanitation

Education can promote good hygiene practices, increase awareness and understanding of responsible water management and improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities. In addition, providing safe drinking water in all schools and sanitation facilities can transform children’s lives.

Renewable Energy

Education is essential to understanding the contribution of various energy sources to the climate crisis and promoting sustainability and renewable energy technologies. Schools can also play a positive role by promoting energy efficiency and conservation.

Good Jobs and Economic Growth

Education is key to providing individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to access increasingly sophisticated and more productive and decent jobs. Education also promotes entrepreneurship, generates new jobs and drives economic growth. In addition, the working conditions of the educational working force will have an impact on the quality of education.

Industry Innovation and Infrastructure

Innovation depends on knowledge, critical thinking and scientific attitudes. By fostering such traits in learners, education can promote innovation, technological advancements and the development of sustainable infrastructure. By leveraging digital technologies, education can foster innovation, enhance industrial growth and build resilience infrastructure.

Reduced Inequalities

As with poverty, there is a strong two-way relation between education and inequality. By confronting the differential access of low-income and high-income students to good-quality learning that arises from the many sources of inequality, public education becomes the most powerful tool for reducing inequalities, promoting social inclusion and building cohesion.

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Education teaches us how to better live together and can therefore promote sustainable urban planning and management, increase awareness and understanding of sustainable living, and foster community engagement and participation.

Responsible Consumption

By teaching about the risks of unethical, harmful and unsustainable consumption, education can promote responsible and sustainable consumption and influence production patterns, thus reducing waste and pollution and promoting sustainable resource use

Climate Action

Education is key to promoting climate literacy, increasing awareness and understanding of climate change, promoting sustainable practices to mitigate the impact of climate change and empowering civic participation.

Life Below Water

By promoting learners’ understanding of marine ecosystems and how they are affected by human activity, education can promote marine conservation and awareness and increase and promote sustainable marine resource management.

Life on Land

Through education, people can be both equipped with and empowered by the knowledge and skills necessary to actively engage in conservation efforts; identify and mitigate the drivers of deforestation and land degradation; and promote sustainable land use practices. Education also plays a key role in raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the consequences of its loss.

Peace and Justice

Education can help to prevent violence and promote peaceful societies by teaching learners respect for human rights in the context of human diversity; by instilling in them the importance of institutions and the rule of law; and by developing the skills and attitudes for peaceful conflict resolution. Education can also promote transparency and accountability, key components of strong institutions.

Partnership for the Goal

Learners are equipped with the knowledge, skills and values needed to effectively collaborate and build partnerships across sectors, communities and nations. Education is essential for raising awareness and promoting understanding of the interconnectedness of issues related to sustainable development, fostering a sense of global citizenship and promoting the values and principles of sustainability.