To assist in guiding the development of the Working Paper: Asia-Pacific Regional Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development, UNESCO Bangkok, with the generous support of the Japanese government, commissioned A Situational Analysis of Education for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific Region.

In ensuring equitable representation from each of the sub-regions of Asia-Pacific, separate situational analyses were commissioned for: Central Asia, Southeast Asia, North Asia, South Asia and the Pacific.

Individual country reports were also commissioned for Australia, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Vietnam. The project team investigated core ESD issues, identified by situational analysis researchers at a Strategic Workshop: Situational Analysis of ESD in Asia-Pacific in August 2004.

These issues are:

• Information and Awareness (eco-media, media literacy, ICT)
• Knowledge Systems (learning for local and indigenous knowledge, integrating traditional and modern technologies)
• Environmental Protection and Management (biodiversity, climate change, natural resources, conservation)
• Peace and Equity (conflict resolution, peace, equity, appropriate development, democracy)
• Local Context (community development, empowerment)
• Transformation (rural transformation, urbanization, sustainable habitat, water, sanitation and other public infrastructure)
• Culture (diversity and intercultural/ interfaith understanding)
• Cross Cutting Issues and Themes (human rights, citizenship, gender equality, sustainable futures, holistic approach, innovation, partnerships, sustainable production and consumption, governance)
• Health (HIV/AIDS, malaria)
• Environmental Education (Integrated pest management, environmental awareness, Community recycling programmes)
• Engagement of Leaders (Professional training courses, executive education, partnerships, networking)

The analysis endeavoured to discover to what extent countries in the region have integrated ESD policies, programmes and practices into both formal and non-formal educational settings at the grassroots, sub-national and national levels, as well as strengthen regional partnerships and networks on ESD.

This Situational Analysis indicates that many key stakeholders and decision makers still predominantly conceptualize ESD in the context of Environmental Education (EE). Although much can be learned from the experience of successful EE initiatives, especially at the grassroots level, it is imperative that stakeholders understand the unique holistic and crosscutting nature of ESD. Moving from EE to ESD will be a key challenge for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Youth, rural and indigenous communities, civil society, media and private sector are all important stakeholders in meeting this challenge.