Sustainability and Education: Between Global Commitments and the Urgency of Concrete Change

Sustainability has become a central concept in global agendas, public policies, and educational discourse. Nevertheless, its practical implementation continues to encounter significant obstacles, ranging from political inertia to socio-economic resistance. This paper provides a critical examination of the evolution of the sustainability concept and its articulation with education. It revisits key international milestones such as the Stockholm Conference (1972), the Earth Summit (1992), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasizing their influence on sustainability frameworks. The paper also analyzes the challenges of operationalizing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a special focus on SDG 4—quality education. A central argument is that education for sustainability must transcend curriculum reform, integrating critical pedagogy, community engagement, and intercultural perspectives. The Pentagonal Model is explored as a theoretical tool for integrating economic, ecological, sociocultural, spatial, and political-institutional dimensions of sustainability. Despite its analytical value, this model remains underutilized in both public policy and educational practice. The paper concludes with a call for sustainability to be embraced as a transformative political and educational act, grounded in ethics, justice, and intergenerational responsibility.