Ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary Elections in May 2026, our Policy Action Group has published a Policy Briefing for the next Scottish Parliament.

Click here to read the Briefing.

1. Why have we written this Policy Briefing?

Together, we can make Scotland a more positive place where:

  • Nature is valued, protected, and supports people and communities
  • Societies are thriving, inclusive and equitable
  • A well-being economy delivers prosperity, shared opportunities, and contributes to social justice and the flourishing of human populations and ecosystems

However, we face common challenges, including:

  • Uncertainty, unpredictability and the complexity of our rapidly-changing world
  • Multiple crises including climate, nature and international conflicts, with unequal impacts across communities
  • Sustainability values such as social justice, compassion and care are under threat
  • Misinformation leading to loss of trust and transparency in communications
  • Approaches to learning are often ‘siloed’, fragmented and reductionist rather than holistic
  • Social inequality and lack of opportunities for young people
  • An ever-increasing need for democratic engagement and critical thinking


Learners of all ages require the knowledge, skills, values and agency necessary to address interconnected global and local sustainability challenges. These include climate change, loss of biodiversity, poverty, unsustainable resource use, inequality, and wider social and environmental injustices.

This approach to learning is active and participatory. It responds to real-world complexity; developing skills such as critical, systems and futures thinking, reflection, collaboration, and action. It also cultivates values such as solidarity, inclusion, compassion and care.

Learning for Sustainability enables effective responses to these challenges.

2. What are our asks of the next Scottish Parliament?

Learning for Sustainability Scotland seeks the following key commitments for education and learning in the next Scottish Parliament through political commitment, accelerated action at
scale, and sustainable and sustained resourcing:

  • Join up action and collaboration through learning and education across all sectors to deliver a socially-just and sustainable Scotland through an integrated systems approach
  • Escalate and scale up the delivery of Scotland’s Learning for Sustainability Action Plan ‘Target 2030: A Movement for People, Planet and Prosperity’’ for Early Years and Schools
  • Champion the Learning for Sustainability ‘Movement for Change’ across all Scotland’s Universities and Colleges
  • Strengthen sustainability understanding and action through community learning and development, including youth work
  • Enable equitable and long-term access to Learning for Sustainability opportunities to ensure a just transition for communities and learners of all ages.


Contributors: Dr Beth Christie, Jennifer Haggarty, Betsy King, Kirsten Leask, Cecilia Mañosa Nyblon, Sara Smith, Professor Rehema White

For more information, contact: Cecilia Mañosa Nyblon, Development Manager, Learning for Sustainability Scotland.