世界正面臨氣候變遷、資源退化、疾病頻仍、物種滅絕等嚴苛考驗。「永續發展」概念的出現，就是要檢視人類過去發展道路上的錯誤，讓我們重新思考今後發展方向與目標。對永續發展而言，教育是關鍵。永續發展教育（ESD）的發展與施行是全球的一項挑戰，在世界各地面臨許多困難阻礙。原因是永續發展教育有很多面向，橫跨許多部門與學科，強調新的學習形式與思考方法，需以在地文化脈絡為基礎，同時尊重包容世界各地發出的不同聲音。因此，本文為了掌握永續發展教育多面向特質，首先分析永續發展教育脈絡與架構，作為思考全球教育問題的基礎。此外，世界上許多國家的環境教育 (EE) 已經深植於該國正式的教育系統中。而今日環境教育與永續發展教育同步發展與存在，的確使許多國家常問它們二者的區別在哪裡。因此，本文第二個重點在釐清最多人困擾問題：永續發展教育和環境教育二者間的關係與區別。第三，從 1970年代開始，永續發展教育經歷多次重要國際會議討論、修正、深化與倡議後，由聯合國相關機構提出許多重要計畫和行動方案，其中以 2003年聯合國教科文组織起草“聯合國永續發展教育十年計畫 2005~2014 (簡稱 DESD 2005~2014) 最受矚目。故本文檢視聯合國永續發展教育十年計畫的背景與目標，重新思考 ESD面臨的挑戰，詳細透視 DESD執行的七大策略。第四，本文進一步比較四項聯合國執行的重要教育計畫：千禧年發展計畫 (MDG)、大眾教育計畫 (EFA)、聯合國識字教育十年計畫 (UNLD)、聯合國永續發展教育十年計畫（DESD），摘要其內容重點，指出 EFA與 DESD二者間的區別和重疊部分。第五，因為許多國家為了提升和發展永續發展教育，對聯合國永續發展教育十年計畫訂定的目標都寄於厚望。因此 2007年聯合國教科文組織建立 DESD監測與評估專家團隊 (Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group簡稱 MEEG)，提供適當的監測評估機制。最後，本文參考 MEEG監測與評估之執行報告，歸納其重大發現與挑戰，指出 DESD實施後，對永續發展教育所產生的十大影響。

The world continues to face critical challenges such as : global climate change, the rapid depletion of natural resources, the frequency of natural disasters, the loss of biodiversity. The concept of Sustainable Development shows us what mistakes humen made before and what can we rethink to do something now for the future. Education is a key point for Sustainable Development. The development and implementation of Education for Sustainable Development(ESD) are a global challenge and face many obstacles around the world. This comes as no surprise as ESD has many faces, spans many sectors and disciplines, emphasizes new forms of learning and ways of thinking and needs to be grounded in local contexts while at the same time being receptive and sensitive to what happens elsewhere. As a result, this research wants to grasp the spirit of ESD. First, I take an analysis for the contexts and structures of ESD as the basic viewpoint of education. Besides, Environmental Education(EE) in many countries around the world established strongly. The simultaneous existence and development of EE and ESD has given rise in some countries to question about the relationships between the two. So the second of my research clarifies the distinctions and relationships between the two. Third, as the 1970s, ESD followed many international conferences to discuss, modify, deepen and advocate, the resolution requested UNESCO in 2003, as the designated lead agency for “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014”, one of the UN-supported major programmes. Reviewing of the contexts and objects of DESD and rethinking the challenges of ESD are to understand the seven strategies of DESD. Fourth, furthermore, my research summarizes the relationships with 4 major international education initiatives by UN-supported : the Millennium Development Goal(MDG)、the Education for All(EFA)、 the United Nations Literacy Decade(UNLD)、 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development(DESD), and points out how the EFA and ESD are distinct but also overlap. Fifth, the DESD has raised high expectations among the countries around the world who seek to promote and develop ESD. As a result, in 2007, UNESCO established a DESD Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group(MEEG) to advise on appropriate monitoring mechanisms for assessing. Finally, my research follows the advice of the MEEG with inducing some findings and challenges of DESD, and draws a conclusion of ten great effect on the development of ESD.