Integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Chemistry Education Through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajiri.v5i3.8504Keywords:
Chemistry Education, Education for Sustainable Development, Green Chemistry, Sustainability, Sustainable Development GoalsAbstract
This systematic literature review covered the integration of SDGs into chemistry education through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It examined the SDGs addressed, ESD-based teaching methods applied, and chemistry concepts or sustainability contexts applied for integration. A systematic search in the ERIC, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases was conducted according to predefined keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Articles published in the period from 2020 to 2026 and including secondary students, chemistry teachers, or higher education students and teachers were analyzed. Thus, 28 studies were found for thematic analysis. It is revealed that all 17 SDGs are presented in the literature, but there were differences in the context of integration. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 4 (Quality Education) are most frequently integrated in chemistry lessons. Interdisciplinary learning, systems thinking, experiential learning/lab work, problem/project-based learning, context-based learning, and collaborative learning are the most widespread ESD-based approaches. The most frequent entry points for SDG integration are green chemistry and sustainable lab practices. Next in order are water and environmental pollution, energy and combustion, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, organic/agricultural chemistry, plastics/polymers, and analytical chemistry. These results serve as the foundation for the development of the curriculum, instruction, and teacher development in SDG chemistry education.
Downloads
References
Anggraeni, L., & Rohaeti, E. (2026). Sustainable development issues in chemistry learning as Educational for Sustainable Development implementation: A systematic literature review. Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika dan Sains, 14(1), 345–356.
Araneo, P. (2024). Exploring education for sustainable development (ESD) course content in higher education: A multiple case study including what students say they like. Environmental Education Research, 30(4), 631–660. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2280438.
Araripe, E., & Zuin Zeidler, V. G. (2024). Advancing sustainable chemistry education: Insights from real-world case studies. Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 9, 100436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crgsc.2024.100436.
Bezeljak, P., Scheuch, M., & Torkar, G. (2020). Understanding of sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development among pre-service biology teachers. Sustainability, 12(17), 6892. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176892.
Chama, S. (2025). Integrating education for sustainable development principles in teaching secondary school chemistry in Ndola District (Doctoral dissertation, University of Zambia).
Czok, V., Krug, M., Müller, S., Huwer, J., & Weitzel, H. (2023). Learning effects of augmented reality and game-based learning for science teaching in higher education in the context of education for sustainable development. Sustainability, 15(21), 15313. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115313.
D’eon, J., & Silverman, J. R. (2023). Using systems thinking to connect green principles and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in a reaction stoichiometry module. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 16(1), 2185109. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518253.2023.2185109.
Dicks, A. P. (2023). Teaching greener & more sustainable analytical chemistry to undergraduates: Some strategies & tips. Green Analytical Chemistry, 7, 100082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.greeac.2023.100082.
Eilks, I., & Linkwitz, M. (2022). Greening the chemistry curriculum as a contribution to education for sustainable development: When and how to start? Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 37, 100662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2022.100662.
El Yazidi, R., & Rijal, K. (2024). Science learning in the context of Indigenous Knowledge for sustainable development. International Journal of Ethnoscience and Technology in Education, 1(1), 28–41. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijete.v1i1.10880.
Etzkorn, F. A., & Ferguson, J. L. (2023). Integrating green chemistry into chemistry education. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 62(2), e202209768. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202209768.
Ferrer-Estévez, M., & Chalmeta, R. (2021). Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in educational institutions. The International Journal of Management Education, 19(2), 100494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2021.100494.
Fischer, D., King, J., Rieckmann, M., Barth, M., Büssing, A., Hemmer, I., & Lindau-Bank, D. (2022). Teacher education for sustainable development: A review of an emerging research field. Journal of Teacher Education, 73(5), 509–524. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224871221105784.
Gericke, N., & Torbjörnsson, T. (2022). Supporting local school reform toward education for sustainable development: The need for creating and continuously negotiating a shared vision and building trust. The Journal of Environmental Education, 53(4), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2022.2102565.
Glavič, P. (2020). Identifying key issues of education for sustainable development. Sustainability, 12(16), 6500. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166500.
Guo, C., Huang, Y., & Chen, X. (2024). Research on integration of the Sustainable Development Goals and teaching practices in a future teacher science education course. Sustainability, 16(12), 4982.
Hoffman, K. C., & Dicks, A. P. (2023). Incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and green chemistry principles into high school curricula. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 16(1), 2185108.
Holfelder, A.-K. (2019). Towards a sustainable future with education? Sustainability Science, 14(4), 943–952. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-019-00682-z.
Holst, J., Singer-Brodowski, M., Brock, A., & de Haan, G. (2024). Monitoring SDG 4.7: Assessing education for sustainable development in policies, curricula, training of educators and student assessment (input-indicator). Sustainable Development, 32(4), 3908–3923. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2865.
Husamah, H., Suwono, H., Nur, H., & Dharmawan, A. (2022). Sustainable development research in Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education: A systematic literature review. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(5), em2103. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11965.
Khalid Malik, M. S., Qi, Z., Iqbal, M., Zamir, S., & Fatima Malik, B. (2023). Education for sustainable development: Secondary school teacher’s awareness and perception of integration. Sustainable Development, 31(3), 1515–1525. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2463.
Kopnina, H. (2020). Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG): What is wrong with ESDGs, and what can we do better? Education Sciences, 10(10), 261. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10100261.
Kusumaningrum, M. E., Kuswanto, H., Jumadi, Suyanto, S., Suhartini, Purwasih, D., & Prabawati, R. (2023). A bibliometric review of research on Education for Sustainable Development, 2019–2023. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 16(1), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.26822/iejee.2023.315.
Lei, C.-U., & Tang, S. (2023). An analysis of Hong Kong high school curriculum with implications for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Smart Learning Environments, 10, 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00267-5.
Mahaffy, P. G., Matlin, S. A., Holme, T. A., & MacKellar, J. (2019). Systems thinking for education about the molecular basis of sustainability. Nature Sustainability, 2(5), 362–370. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0285-3.
Mansour, F. R., Locatelli, M., & Bedair, A. (2026). Sustainability of Analytical Methods Index (SAMI) as an SDG-based tool for chemical analysis. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 49, 102294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2025.102294.
Marteel-Parrish, A. (2026). Greener chemistry for a sustainable future: An interdisciplinary course based on systems thinking. RSC Sustainability, 4(5), 2167–2174. https://doi.org/10.1039/D6SU00154H
Martín-Alfonso, J. E., & Yáñez, R. (2024). Integration of teaching laboratory activities based on the valorization of industrial waste into chemical education to address the emerging Sustainable Development Goals. Journal of Chemical Education, 101, 4405–4410.
Martín-Sánchez, A., González-Gómez, D., & Jeong, J. S. (2022). Service learning as an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) teaching strategy: Design, implementation, and evaluation in a STEM university course. Sustainability, 14(12), 6965. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14126965.
Maryanti, R., Rahayu, N. I., Muktiarni, M., Al Husaeni, D. F., Hufad, A., Sunardi, S., & Nandiyanto, A. B. D. (2022). Sustainable development goals (SDGs) in science education: Definition, literature review, and bibliometric analysis. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, 17, 161–181.
Mellyzar, Marhami, Alvina, S., & Retnowulan, S. R. (2025). Mapping global research on sustainability and SDGs in chemistry higher education. Edumatsains, 10(1), 14–43.
Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. (2022). Science curricular standards for compulsory education (2022 edition). People’s Education Press.
Ministry of National Development Planning/BAPPENAS. (2020, May 19). SDGs bukan hanya tugas pemerintah, tetapi juga tugas bersama.
Mitarlis, U., Azizah, U., & Yonata, B. (2023). The integration of green chemistry principles in basic chemistry learning to support achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 13(1), 233–254. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.1892.
Moniz, T., Sarraguça, M., et al. (2026). Green solvents in analytical chemistry: From sustainable innovation to education for a greener future. Green Analytical Chemistry, 17, 100340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.greeac.2026.100340.
Novidsa, I., Purwianingsih, W., & Riandi, R. (2020). Exploring knowledge of prospective biology teacher about Education for Sustainable Development. JPBI (Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Indonesia), 6(2), 317–326. https://doi.org/10.22219/jpbi.v6i2.12212.
Nguyen, L. T. V., Cleveland, D., Nguyen, C. T. M., & Joyce, C. (2024). Problem-based learning and the integration of Sustainable Development Goals. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 16(2), 218–234.
Nguyen, L. K., Huynh, B. N. T., Nguyen, K. H. G., & Dao, H. T. H. (2026). Mainstreaming education for sustainable development in chemistry via a systems thinking approach. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 27, 742–756.
Nugrahani, M. D., & Purtadi, S. (2024). Analysis of the need for development of an integrated project-oriented chemistry learning module Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SPIN: Jurnal Kimia & Pendidikan Kimia, 6(1), 62–71.
Nugroho, U. E., Nugroho, A. S., Hayat, M. S., & Patonah, S. (2025). Bridging sustainability and pedagogy: A narrative review of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) implementation in Indonesian science education. Prisma Sains: Jurnal Pengkajian Ilmu dan Pembelajaran Matematika dan IPA IKIP Mataram, 13(2), 348–374. https://doi.org/10.33394/j-ps.v13i2.15116.
Olsson, D., Gericke, N., & Boeve-de Pauw, J. (2022). The effectiveness of education for sustainable development revisited—A longitudinal study on secondary students’ action competence for sustainability. Environmental Education Research, 28(3), 405–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2033170.
Pevida, M. A., Rivera, F. P., Amacna, M. L., & Potenciando, M. R. (2026). Exploring the impact of sustainability development education to environmental literacy of BPE students. American Journal of Physical Education and Health Science, 4(2), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.54536/ajpehs.v4i2.8216.
Poya, Y. (2026). A sustainability approach to inquiry-based experiential chemistry education in pre-college programs. RSC Sustainability.
Poya, Y. (2026). Embedding UN SDGs in chemistry education through project-based learning: Insights from case studies in the UK and USA. RSC Sustainability.
Prieto-Jiménez, E., López-Catalán, L., López-Catalán, B., & Domínguez-Fernández, G. (2021). Sustainable Development Goals and education: A bibliometric mapping analysis. Sustainability, 13(4), 2126. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042126.
Radhakrishnan, P., Thavarajah, N., Pan, Y., & Hoang, J. (2026). Cultivating curiosity and metacognition through SDG-focused problem-based learning in a global classroom. Sustainability, 18(1), 177. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010177.
Rahmawati, Y., Taylor, E., Taylor, P. C., Ridwan, A., & Mardiah, A. (2022). Students’ engagement in education as sustainability: Implementing an ethical dilemma-STEAM teaching model in chemistry learning. Sustainability, 14, 3554.
Rohiat, S., Rochintaniawati, D., & Riandi. (2025). Micro-scale approach in organic chemistry learning as an innovative strategy to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Journal of Tropical Chemistry Research and Education, 7(2), 85–94.
Rasmawan, R. (2024). Tren penelitian “Education for Sustainable Development” dalam pembelajaran kimia: Bibliometrik analisis dalam dua dekade terakhir (2004–2023). Proceeding Seminar Nasional IPA, 28–42.
Sachs, J. D., Kroll, C., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., & Woelm, F. (2022). Sustainable development report 2022. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009210058.
Siregar, F. M., Rahmawati, Y., & Ridwan, A. (2026). Integrating culturally responsive teaching and differentiated learning to promote critical thinking in chemistry learning toward Sustainable Development Goal 4. Journal of Current Studies in SDGs, 2(2), 165–178.
Soto-Solier, P. M., García-López, A. M., & Prados-Peña, M. B. (2023). Teacher training and sustainable development: Study within the framework of the transdisciplinary project RRREMAKER. Education Sciences, 13(8), 794. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13080794.
Ssossé, Q., Wagner, J., & Hopper, C. (2021). Assessing the impact of ESD: Methods, challenges, results. Sustainability, 13(5), 2854. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052854.
Sutanto, H. P. (2017). Education for sustainable development situations in the West Nusa Tenggara Province. Jurnal Cakrawala Pendidikan, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v36i3.13698.
UNESCO. (2014). Shaping the future we want: UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014): Final report. UNESCO.
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
UNESCO. (2019). Framework for the implementation of education for sustainable development (ESD) beyond 2019. UNESCO.
UNESCO. (2020). Education for sustainable development: A roadmap. UNESCO.
United Nations. (2023). The Sustainable Development Goals report 2023. United Nations.
Vilmala, B. K., Kaniawati, I., Suhandi, A., Permanasari, A., & Khumalo, M. (2022). A literature review of education for sustainable development (ESD) in science learning: What, why, and how. Journal of Natural Science and Integration, 5(1), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.24014/jnsi.v5i1.15342.
Villamor, E. L., Gamayot, E. M., Baldon, N. R., Diquito, T. J. A., & Panerio, C. J. (2023). Development and validation of assessment tool measuring knowledge on sustainable development: Basis for instructional emphasis on higher education. Journal of Tertiary Education and Learning, 1(3), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.54536/jtel.v1i3.2127.
Widyantoro, C., Han, J. Y., Ong, J. S. H., Goh, K. H., & Fung, F. M. (2025). Teaching sustainability through green chemistry: An experiential learning approach. Journal of Chemical Education, 102(7), 2743–2754. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c01476.
Widyawati, R., Novita, M., & Patonah, S. (2025). ESD-based green chemistry teaching materials in high school to support sustainability. KnE Social Sciences, 10(9). https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i9.18506.
Wissinger, J. E., Visa, A., Saha, B. B., Matlin, S. A., Mahaffy, P. G., Kümmerer, K., & Cornell, S. (2021). Integrating sustainability into learning in chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 98(4), 1061–1063. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00284.
Wolff, L.-A., Sjöblom, P., Hofman-Bergholm, M., & Palmberg, I. (2017). High performance education fails in sustainability?—A reflection on Finnish primary teacher education. Education Sciences, 7(1), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci7010032.
Yang, C., & Xiu, Q. (2023). A bibliometric review of Education for Sustainable Development, 1992–2022. Sustainability, 15(14), 10823. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410823.
Zidny, R., Laraswati, A. N., & Eilks, I. (2021). A case study on students’ application of chemical concepts and use of arguments in teaching on the sustainability-oriented chemistry issue of pesticides use under inclusion of different scientific worldviews. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(7), em1981.
Zidny, R., Sjöström, J., & Eilks, I. (2020). A multi-perspective reflection on how indigenous knowledge and related ideas can improve science education for sustainability. Science & Education, 29(1), 145–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-019-00100-x.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Trixie A. dela Cruz, Christy Ann M. Rahon
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
