Sustainability literacy in older age groups: on the way to sustainable development

The world is facing sustainability challenges for which actions and results are needed in a 10 to 15 years time frame. Sustainability Literacy or Education has a crucial role for the Sustainable Development and is a set of... [ view full abstract ]

The world is facing sustainability challenges for which actions and results are needed in a 10 to 15 years time frame. Sustainability Literacy or Education has a crucial role for the Sustainable Development and is a set of different forms of education aiming to create economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions for sustainable development. This study looks at Sustainability Literacy or Education for Sustainable Development as a potential tool to empower individuals and communities to make more informed decisions that are aligned with long-term sustainability goals and can produce the short-term results needed. Any Education for Sustainable Development initiative relies and can greatly benefit from a bottom-up approach in local communities. An active participation of individuals in the community initiatives generates more opportunities for formal and non-formal lifelong learning and creates relevance that is engaging for other community members. The traditional approach of investment in Sustainability Literacy focuses on youth. However, while this approach is important in the long run, it may not yield results for current sustainability challenges. Older age groups (i.e. 50 or older), usually overlooked because they are perceived as not being motivated by sustainability or as being too late in their life span to have a significant impact, may play a crucial role in promoting sustainability within communities. Our study addresses the importance of improved sustainability literacy in older age groups (i.e. 50 or older) as a driver for sustainability. Endorsing a new role for senior citizens, by leveraging their last active years for short term sustainability efforts, we also empower them with the knowledge and tools to raise the sustainability literacy in younger generations. This work is being carried out in a Lisbon suburban community of around 12000 people, half of which are over 50 years old, and analyses some reflections on the importance of sustainability literacy within this age group and its effects on other age groups. It should be stressed that this population of 50+ years of age is actively engaged with the local University of the 3rd Age (U3A), where topics are presented and discussed in the classroom, using videos to generate a guided discussion toward the construction of the concepts by the students. The results from a group attending a life science literacy class show that the students experience increased personal satisfaction and wellbeing, are motivated towards learning and knowledge sharing within families and communities, including younger generations. These students also expressed greater understanding of messages from the media, health professionals and care takers, as well as a more positive health self-assessment and a greater treatment adherence. These results, aligned with the targets for good health and well-being sustainable development goal (SDG) suggest that initiatives to increase literacy lead to immediate behavior changes and knowledge dissemination. Further studies are ongoing regarding other SDGs, such as climate action, responsible consumption and production or affordable and clean energy.