Integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Chemistry Education Through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic literature review covered the integration of SDGs into chemistry education through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It examined the SDGs addressed, ESD-based teaching methods applied, and chemistry concepts or sustainability contexts applied for integration. A systematic search in the ERIC, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases was conducted according to predefined keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Articles published in the period from 2020 to 2026 and including secondary students, chemistry teachers, or higher education students and teachers were analyzed. Thus, 28 studies were found for thematic analysis. It is revealed that all 17 SDGs are presented in the literature, but there were differences in the context of integration. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 4 (Quality Education) are most frequently integrated in chemistry lessons. Interdisciplinary learning, systems thinking, experiential learning/lab work, problem/project-based learning, context-based learning, and collaborative learning are the most widespread ESD-based approaches. The most frequent entry points for SDG integration are green chemistry and sustainable lab practices. Next in order are water and environmental pollution, energy and combustion, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, organic/agricultural chemistry, plastics/polymers, and analytical chemistry. These results serve as the foundation for the development of the curriculum, instruction, and teacher development in SDG chemistry education.