The European Green Deal highlights the role of education in addressing the environmental challenges the planet currently faces. Engaging with learners, educators, parents and the wider community to improve knowledge and awareness on nature and biodiversity will be a key element of this approach. In 2020, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 set out that the Commission would propose a Council Recommendation on education for environmental sustainability to help MS strengthen policy development, learning and teaching and cooperation in this field. It also highlighted the key role of the new Skills Agenda in enabling the green transition and combating biodiversity loss, by focusing on training and reskilling of the workforce across a wide range of sectors. Among the main objectives of the European Year of Skills, commencing in May 2023, is to align job opportunities focusing on the green and digital transitions with people's aspirations and skill sets, providing reskilling opportunities when needed. Enhancing skills to make the green transition happen is also one of the four pillars of the Green Deal Industrial Plan (2023)

The European Education Area highlights the importance of education and training in supporting the move towards a more sustainable and resource-efficient society and economy, in particular under its focus topic of green education.

The below sections on separate pages describe the Council Recommendation (including the run-up to its adoption) and the European Education Area and related initiatives. Please click on the section title to access the relevant page:

Council recommendation and background

European Economic Area and related initiatives