Integrating environmental and sustainability education to enhance students’ scientific literacy: A systematic literature review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62672/joease.v4i3.182

Keywords:

Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE-ESD), Scientific literacy, Socioscientific Issue (SSI)

Abstract

Despite the growing integration of Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into science education, existing reviews have largely focused on sustainability competencies, environmental literacy, or general ESD implementation, providing limited synthesis of how Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE-ESD) contributes to the multiple dimensions of scientific literacy. This study therefore aims to systematically examine the contribution of ESE-ESD to scientific literacy development, identify the pedagogical approaches used, and explore emerging conceptual, theoretical, and methodological gaps. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted using Scopus and Web of Science databases for publications from 2016-2025. After screening and quality appraisal, 32 empirical studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The findings indicate that ESE-ESD is associated with the development of scientific reasoning, inquiry skills, evidence-based argumentation, ecological understanding, environmental awareness, and informed decision-making. Inquiry-based learning, socioscientific issues, and citizen science were most frequently linked to cognitive and procedural dimensions of scientific literacy, whereas ecological literacy and identity-based approaches were more commonly associated with affective and value-oriented outcomes. This review contributes an integrated synthesis of educational contexts, pedagogical approaches, scientific literacy dimensions, and research gaps, highlighting the need for geographically diverse, longitudinal, and theoretically grounded studies to strengthen sustainability-oriented science education.

References

Abdullahi, A. M., Hussein, H. A., Ahmed, M. Y., Hussein, O. A., & Warsame, A. A. (2024). The impact of education for sustainable development on university students ’ sustainability behavior : a case study from undergraduate students in. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1413687

Ajaps, S. (2023). Deconstructing the constraints of justice-based environmental sustainability in higher education environmental sustainability in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(5), 1024–1038. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2023.2198639

AlAli, R., Al-Barakat, A., Alrosaa, T., Alotaibi, S., Abdullatif, A., & Almughyirah, S. (2025). Science Education and Environmental Identity: An Integrative Approach to Fostering Sustainability Practices in Primary School Students. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(19), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198883

Arntzen, M., Scheie, E., Haug, B., & Scheie, E. (2025). Unveiling perceptions : how science teachers perceive sustainable development and their expectations of students ’ learning outcomes through environmental and sustainability education Unveiling perceptions : how science teachers perceive education. International Journal of Science Education, 0693, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2025.2499215

Atst, D. (2025). Leveraging Sustainable Development Goals to Transform Higher Education and Advance Sustainability Science. Sustainability, 17, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17177807

Baena-morales, S., Vásquez-echeverría, A., Gavilán-martín, D., & González-villora, S. (2024). Psychological approaches to sustainability : Implementing intervention model for sustainable development in physical education. Sustainable Development, 32(5), 5692–5704. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2986

Basheer, A., Gulacar, O., Sindiani, A., & Eilks, I. (2025). The Impact of an Intervention on Plastics and Bioplastics on Pre-Service Science Teachers ’ Green Chemistry and Sustainability Awareness and Their Attitudes Toward Environmental Education. Education Sciences, 15(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci15030322

Bezeljak, P., & Scheuch, M. (2020). Understanding of Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development among Pre-Service Biology Teachers. Sustainability, 12, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176892

Bórquez-sánchez, E. (2025). Scientific literacy in biology and attitudes towards science in the Chilean education system ABSTRACT. Research in Science & Technological Education, 43(2), 589–613. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2024.2320104

Bourn, D., & Soysal, N. (2021). Transformative Learning and Pedagogical Approaches in Education for Sustainable Development : Are Initial Teacher Education Programmes in England and Turkey Ready for Creating Agents of Change for Sustainability ? Sustai, 14, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su13168973

Celestino, T. (2023). High School Sustainable and Green Chemistry : Historical – Epistemological and Pedagogical Considerations. Sustainable Chemistry, 4, 304–320. https://doi.org/10.3390/suschem4030022

Chen, F., Zhang, Y., & Chen, G. (2025). Exploring the effects of technology-supported collaborative inquiry and students ’ ICT competency on scientific literacy and subject knowledge in rural science classrooms. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 18705–18732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13512-w

Cincera, J., Kroufek, R., & Bogner, F. X. (2023). The perceived effect of environmental and sustainability education on environmental literacy of Czech teenagers. Environmental Education Research, 29(9), 1276–1293. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2107618

Cole, L. B. (2019). Green Building Literacy: A Framework for Advancing Green Building Education. International Journal of STEM Education, 6, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0171-6 (2019)

Demssie, Y. N., Biemans, H. J. A., & Wesselink, R. (2023). Fostering students ’ systems thinking competence for sustainability by using multiple real-world learning approaches. Environmental Education Research, 29(2), 261–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2141692

Evans, H. J., & Achiam, M. (2021). Sustainability in out-of-school science education : identifying the unique potentials Sustainability in out-of-school science education : identifying the unique potentials. Environmental Education Research, 27(8), 1192–1213. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1893662

Eymur, G., & Çetin, P. S. (2024). Investigating the role of an inquiry-based science lab on students’ scientific literacy. Instructional Science, 52(5), 743–760. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-024-09672-w

Fu, S. (2025). Evaluating the impact of place-based education : insights from a river environmental program in Taiwan. Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 26(2), 153–170. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICE-01-2024-0001

Gandolfi, H. E. (2024). (Re)considering Nature of Science Education in the Face of Socio-scientific Challenges and Injustices: Insights from a Critical-Decolonial Perspective. Science and Education, 33(8), 2017–2039. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-024-00536-w

Georgiou, Y., & Kyza, E. A. (2023). Fostering Chemistry Students ’ Scientific Literacy for Responsible Citizenship through Socio-Scientific Inquiry-Based Learning ( SSIBL ). Sustainability, 15, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086442

Gould, R. K., Krymkowski, D. H., & Ardoin, N. M. (2018). The importance of culture in predicting environmental behavior in middle school students on Hawai ʻ i Island. 13(11), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207087

Green, C., Molloy, O., & Duggan, J. (2022). An Empirical Study of the Impact of Systems Thinking and Simulation on Sustainability Education. Sustainability, 14(1), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010394

Guerrero, G., & Sjöström, J. (2025). Studies in Science Education Critical scientific and environmental literacies : a systematic and critical review. Studies in Science Education, 61(1), 41–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2024.2344988

Hajj-hassan, M., & Chaker, R. (2024). Environmental Education : A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness. Sustainability, 16, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093733

Hsu, C., Lin, T., & Fang, W. (2018). Taiwan Roadkill Observation Network : An Example of a Community of Practice Contributing to Taiwanese Environmental Literacy for Sustainability. Sustainability, 10, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103610

Hu, R., & Mou, S. (2025). Outdoor Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(8), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083338

Jensen, E. L., & Jensen, E. L. (2025). “ The name of things ”: Lexical ecological literacy as Bildung in environmental and sustainability education environmental and sustainability education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 0(0), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2025.2541885

Jhang, J., & Lin, Y. (2025). A Study on the Effectiveness of a Hybrid Digital-Physical Board Game Incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals in Elementary School Sustainability Education. Sustainability, 17, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156775

Jimenez, A., & Alvarez-hevia, D. M. (2022). Perceptions of primary school students toward learning about science : the case of Spain. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 50(8), 1046–1058. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2021.1929381

Kain, C., Koschmieder, C., Matischek-jauk, M., & Bergner, S. (2024). Mapping the landscape : A scoping review of 21st century skills literature in secondary education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 151(December 2023), 104739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104739

Karmakar, G. (2024). Towards a critical ecological ontology : literacy , sustainability , and fostering environmental education through the Indian green informational picturebook. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 15(6), 939–959. https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2024.2371856

Kaya, V. H., & Elster, D. (2019). A critical consideration of environmental literacy: Concepts, contexts, and competencies. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(6), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061581

Kramar, U., & Knez, M. (2025). Gamified Learning for Sustainability : An Innovative Approach to Enhance Hydrogen Literacy and Environmental Awareness Through Simulation-Based Education. Sustainability, 17, 1–25. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.3390/su17062694

Kuswandi, N. F., Meriza, N., Maulina, D., & Utami, G. N. (2025). Enhancing Students ’ Scientific Literacy on Environmental Pollution through Problem-Based Learning and Interactive Digital Modules. 10(1), 39–49. https://doi.org/10.24042/tadris.v10i1.21343

Lestari, N., & Suyanto, S. (2024). A systematic literature review about local wisdom and sustainability: Contribution and recommendation to science education. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(2), em2394.

Li, S., Liu, Z., Chaturbhuj, V., & Mohamed, M. A. (2025). An investigation of landscape of environmental education ( EE ): A bibliometric and systematic literature review. The International Journal of Management Education, 23(3), 101229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2025.101229

Macintosh, N., & Asghar, A. (2025). An Integrated Framework to Motivate Student Engagement in Science Education for Sustainable Development An Integrated Framework to Motivate Student Engagement in. Education Sciences, 15(7), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci15070903

Masalimova, A. R., Krokhina, J. A., Sokolova, N. L., Melnik, M. V., Kutepova, O. S., & Duran, M. (2023). Trends in environmental education: A systematic review. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/12952

Oberbauer, A. M., Lai, E., Kinsey, N. A., & Famula, T. R. (2021). Enhancing student scientific literacy through participation in citizen science focused on companion animal behavior. PubMed, 3, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab131

OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 Results. In Factsheets: Vol. I.

Osborne, J., Allchin, D., & Osborne, J. (2024). Science literacy in the twenty-first century : informed trust and the competent outsider. International Journal of Science Education, 0693, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2024.2331980

Osborne, J., Allchin, D., & Osborne, J. (2025). Science literacy in the twenty-first century : informed trust and the competent outsider. International Journal of Science Education, 47(15–16), 2134–2155. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2024.2331980

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutro, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S, E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). No TitlThe PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviewse. BMJ, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Pamuk, S., Elmas, R., & Saban, Y. (2022). A Modeling Study on Science Teachers ’ Sustainable Development Knowledge , Attitudes and Practices. Sustainability, 14(16), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su141610437

Paz, M., & Clara, V. (2025). Scientific Literacy to Address Sustainability : A Study on Deep-Sea Mining Education with Adolescents from a Social Care Institution. Sustainability, 17(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020688

Pessoa, P., Lima, J. De, Piacentini, V., Realdon, G., Jeffries, A., Ometto, L., Lopes, J. B., Zeidler, D. L., Fonseca, M. J., Sousa, B., Pinto, A., & Sa-Pinto, X. (2025). A framework to identify opportunities to address socioscientific issues in the elementary school curricula : A case study from England, Italy, and Portugal. PLOS ONE, 20(3), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308901

Prabawani, B., Hadi, S. P., Zen, I. S., Hapsari, N. R., & Ainuddin, I. (2022). Systems Thinking and Leadership of Teachers in Education for Sustainable Development : A Scale Development. Sustainability, 14(6), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063151

Redman, A., Wiek, A., & Barth, M. (2021). Current practice of assessing students ’ sustainability competencies : a review of tools. Sustainability Science, 16(1), 117–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00855-1

Roy, G., Sikder, S., & Danaia, L. (2025). Adopting scientific literacy in early years from empirical studies on formal education: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of STEM Education, 12(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00547-1

Salovaara, J. J., Pietikainen, J., & Cantell, H. (2021). Perceptions of interconnected sustainability : Students ’ narratives bridging transition and education. Journal of Cleaner Production Journal, 281(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125336

Sanchez, S. J., Guzman, Y. P., Sosa-molano, J., Robertson, D., Ahern, S., & Garza, T. (2025). Systematic literature review : a typology of Sustainability Literacy and Environmental Literacy. Frontiers in Education, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1490791

Sanchez, S. J., Piedrahita Guzman, Y., Sosa-Molano, J., Robertson, D., Ahern, S., & Garza, T. (2025). Systematic literature review: a typology of Sustainability Literacy and Environmental Literacy. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1490791

Saunders, M. E., Roger, E., Geary, W. L., Meredith, F. L., Welbourne, D. J., Bako, A., Canavan, E., Herro, F., Herron, C., Hung, O., Kunstler, M., Lin, J., Ludlow, N., Paton, M., Salt, S., Simpson, T., Wang, A., Zimmerman, N., Drews, K. B., … Moles, A. T. (2018). Citizen science in schools: Engaging students in research on urban habitat for pollinators. Austral Ecology, 43(6), 635–642. https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.12608

Schleicher, K., & Schmidt, C. (2020). Citizen Science in Germany as Research and Sustainability Education : Analysis of the Main Forms and Foci and Its Relation to the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability, 12, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156044

Sihombing, R. A., Muslim, M., Rahman, T., & Winarno, N. (2024). Enhancing Quality Education in Indonesia: A Literature Review of STEM-ESD Landscape Contributions. Journal of Science Learning, 7(3), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.17509/jsl.v7i3.69046

Sjöström, J. (2025). Studies in Science Education Vision III of scientific literacy and science education : an alternative vision for science education emphasising the ethico-socio-political and relational-existential. Studies in Science Education, 61(2), 239–274. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2024.2405229

Sørensen, M. T., & Stenalt, M. H. (2025). Interdisciplinary collaboration for sustainability among students with different disciplinary backgrounds : a scoping review. Higher Education Research & Development, 44(6), 1396–1412. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2025.2514502

Sposab, K., & Rieckmann, M. (2024). Development of Sustainability Competencies in Secondary School Education : A Scoping Literature Review. Sustainability, 16, 1–29. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310228

Tapia-Fonllem, C., Fraijo-Sing, B., Corral-Verdugo, V., & Valdez, A. O. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions : Its Influence on the Pro-Sustainability Orientation of Mexican Students. SAGE Open, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244016676295

Tytler, R. W., Monroe, M. C., Eames, C., & White, P. J. (2025). Expanding the Scope of Science Education to Engage with Anthropocene Challenges. Research in Science Education, 55(4), 1129–1147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-025-10276-8

Väljataga, T., & Mettid, K. (2022). Secondary Education Students ’ Knowledge Gain and Scaffolding Needs in Mobile Outdoor Learning Settings. Sustainability, 14, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127031

Van, H. M., J, K. M. C. P., & Van, J. W. R. (2024). Environmental Citizenship : Dutch students ’ sustainability competences and avenues for science education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 55(4), 267–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2024.2306160

Xiong, Z., Song, Y., & Zhu, R. (2025). Pedagogical Strategies for Teaching Environmental Literacy in Secondary School Education : A Systematic Review. Sustainability, 17(20), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su17209104

Zhao, Y., Liu, X., & Han, X. (2024). Enhancing pro-environmental behavior through nature-contact environmental education : an empirical analysis based on randomized controlled experiment design. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1491780

Zidny, R., Solfarina, S., Sari, R., Aisyah, S., & Eilks, I. (2021). Exploring Indigenous Science to Identify Contents and Contexts for Science Learning in Order to Promote Education for Sustainable Development. Education Science, 11, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11030114

Downloads

Published

13-08-2026

How to Cite

Saputra, A., Wilujeng, I., Wiyarsi, A., & Jumadi, J. (2026). Integrating environmental and sustainability education to enhance students’ scientific literacy: A systematic literature review. Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education, 4(3), 515–527. https://doi.org/10.62672/joease.v4i3.182

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.