.Sus ainabili y.
New App oaches o
a Wicked P oblem
0
This publica ion is a deli e able o he p ojec en i led
“G een Hi e”, a Coope a ion Pa ne ship in he
Voca ional Educa ion and T aining field co- unded by he
Eu opean Union’s E asmus+ P og amme unde G an
Ag eemen No. 2022-2-IE01-KA220-VET-000097215.
Deli e able Ti le:
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
Deli e able Ve sion: 1.0 - Oc obe 2025
Deli e able Lead: Lascò S l
Au ho : Angela Mangiullo
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17709782
Con ibu o s:
● Acomi Nicole a (TEAM4Excellence)
● Acomi O idiu (TEAM4Excellence)
● Clea y Elaine (Technological Uni e si y o he
Shannon - Midlands Midwes )
● Lanze a Mi iam (Lascò S l)
● Lopez C uz Ma ia del Ca men (Femxa)
● Melissinou Raina (KEAN)
● Taylo Ma ie (Technological Uni e si y o he
Shannon - Midlands Midwes )
● Tsekou as Vasilis (KEAN)
Disclaime : Views and opinions exp essed a e hose
o he au ho (s) only and do no necessa ily e lec
hose o he Eu opean Union o he g an ing au ho i y.
Nei he he Eu opean Union no he g an ing au ho i y
can be held esponsible o hem.
The euse o his documen is au ho ised unde he
C ea i e Commons A ibu ion-Noncomme cial 4.0
In e na ional (CC BY-NC 4.0) licence
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d.en). This means ha you a e ee o copy, sha e,
adap and use he ma e ial o non-comme cial
pu poses, as long as you gi e app op ia e c edi ,
p o ide a link o he licence, and indica e i changes
we e made.
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
In oduc ion 3
1. The G een Hi e P ojec 5
2. Sus ainabili y: Why a wicked p oblem? 6
3. A sys em app oach o sus ainabili y educa ion 8
3.1 P epa ing lea ne s o he ci cula economy 8
3.2 Skills, knowledge, and a i udes o g een compe ences 9
4. A Eu opean Challenge o G een Combs 11
5. Winning solu ion 12
5.1 The Winning Team: Liceul Tehnologic “Lază Edeleanu” Nă oda i 12
5.2 Impac and ans e abili y 13
6. O he p omising ini ia i es 14
6.1 G eece 14
6.2 Romania 16
6.3 Spain 19
6.4 I eland 21
6.5 I aly 23
7. Ways Fo wa d 26
Bibliog aphy 28
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
2
In oduc ion
Sus ainabili y is one o he defining challenges o ou ime. Clima e change, biodi e si y loss,
esou ce sca ci y, and social inequali ies in e wine in ways ha de y simple solu ions.
Wicked p oblems, as defined by Ri el and Webbe (1973), a e issues ha a e di ficul o
define, ha e no single solu ion, and equi e cons an nego ia ion among di e se
s akeholde s. Unlike “ ame” p oblems, wicked p oblems esis linea o echnical fixes; hey
demand sys emic app oaches, c ea i i y, and collabo a ion ac oss sec o s (Le in e al.,
2012).
The G een Hi e p ojec , a Coope a ion pa ne ship in he Voca ional Educa ion and T aining
(VET) field co- unded by he E asmus+ P og amme o he Eu opean Union, was designed as a
esponse o his demand by fi e en i ies: he Technological Uni e si y o he Shannon
Midlands Midwes (I eland), he companies Lascò (I aly) and Femxa (Spain), and he
non-p ofi and non-go e nmen al o ganisa ions KEAN (G eece) and TEAM4Excellence
(Romania). B inging oge he VET p o ide s, eache s, s uden s, and s akeholde s om
ac oss Eu ope, he p ojec c ea ed spaces o co-c ea ion and expe imen a ion. Wi hin hei
local Hubs, pa icipan s wo ked side by side o design and es inno a i e solu ions o
sus ainabili y, wi h a pa icula ocus on equipping lea ne s wi h he compe ences equi ed
o he g een ansi ion and ci cula economy.
This publica ion, “Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem”, b ings oge he he
insigh s, p ac ices, and esul s o his collabo a i e jou ney. I o e s bo h a heo e ical lens,
aming sus ainabili y as a wicked p oblem, and p ac ical examples o how educa ion and
aining can con ibu e o add essing i . F om he winning Hub’s solu ion o o he p omising
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
3
ini ia i es, i highligh s he c ea i i y and commi men o young people, educa o s, and
communi ies engaged in shaping a mo e sus ainable u u e.
Ra he han o e ing final answe s, his e-publica ion seeks o inspi e dialogue,
expe imen a ion and sha ed lea ning. I is an in i a ion o e lec on wha has been
achie ed h ough G een Hi e and o imagine how such app oaches can be scaled and
adap ed o mee he challenges ahead.
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
4
1. The G een Hi e P ojec
The concep o he G een Hi e ecosys em was bo n wi hin an ambi ious Eu opean p ojec
designed o e olu ionise sus ainabili y educa ion h ough a dynamic ne wo k o localised
Sus ainabili y Educa ion Hubs, known as 'G een Combs,' and a knowledge pla o m o
connec hem, p omo ing he sha ing o in o ma ion, documen s, guides, esou ces, and
knowledge be ween membe s o he a ious communi ies.
The G een Hi e p ojec was concei ed as a s a egic esponse o he u gen need o in eg a e
sus ainabili y compe ences wi hin oca ional educa ion and aining. A i s co e, he p ojec
aims o equip VET p o ide s wi h he ools and me hodologies o p epa e lea ne s o he
demands o he g een ansi ion and he challenges o he ci cula economy (Eu opean
Commission, 2020). To achie e his, G een Hi e has de eloped a ne wo k o local hubs,
e e ed o as G een Combs, ha con ene educa o s, lea ne s, businesses, NGOs, and public
au ho i ies in collabo a i e ecosys ems. These hubs a e ied h ough he G een Hi e digi al
pla o m, which unc ions as bo h a eposi o y and a co-c ea ion space, enabling he sha ing
o esou ces, p ac ices, and inno a i e pedagogical solu ions aligned wi h he Eu opean
Sus ainabili y Compe ence F amewo k (G eenComp) (Bianchi e al., 2022). In his way, he
p ojec b idges he gap be ween policy amewo ks and class oom p ac ice, p o iding
eache s and aine s wi h me hodological guidelines, oolki s, and digi al ins umen s o
os e ans e sal compe ences essen ial o sus ainabili y, such as c i ical hinking, sys ems
unde s anding, and collabo a i e p oblem-sol ing (Voog & Pa eja Roblin, 2012; Rieckmann,
2018). By p omo ing c oss-sec o collabo a ion and embedding digi al inno a ion in VET,
G een Hi e posi ions i sel no me ely as a p ojec bu as a model o eimagining educa ion’s
ole in add essing sus ainabili y issues.
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
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2. Sus ainabili y: Why a wicked p oblem?
Sus ainabili y issues, in pa icula clima e change, en i onmen al deg ada ion, and social
inequali ies, embody wha schola s define as wicked p oblems: phenomena ha esis
simple, linea solu ions due o hei inhe en complexi y, unce ain y, and he web o
in e connec ions among ecological, economic, social, and poli ical dimensions. As Clima e
change as a ‘wicked p oblem’ (S ang & Uj a i, 2015) poin s ou , clima e change has p o en
“slow, une en, and poli ically di isi e,” demons a ing how ambi ious goals clash wi h
di e gen in e es s, a ying capaci ies, and unp edic able eedback loops. In wicked
p oblems, wha seems o be a solu ion in one domain may igge unin ended consequences
in ano he ; he lack o consensus on p oblem defini ions and he mul iplici y o s akeholde s
mul iply his challenge.
This complexi y is pa icula ly isible in he sus ainabili y field, whe e ensions a ise be ween
economic g ow h and en i onmen al p o ec ion, echnological inno a ion and social
inclusion, o sho - e m benefi s and long- e m esilience. The Eu opean En i onmen
Agency (EEA, 2023) has wa ned ha Eu ope is no on ack o mee se e al o i s 2030
sus ainabili y a ge s, unde sco ing he insu ficiency o agmen ed, inc emen al
in e en ions. Add essing wicked p oblems equi es sys emic hinking, pa icipa o y
go e nance, and ans o ma i e change. I also calls o esilience: he capaci y o socie ies,
ins i u ions, and lea ne s o adap and inno a e in he ace o in e wined ecological,
economic, and poli ical c ises.
Educa ion plays a cen al ole in his con ex . Ye , as he OECD (2024) no es, sus ainabili y
educa ion is o en confined o science cu icula, e en hough wicked p oblems demand
c oss-disciplina y, place-based, and expe ien ial app oaches. Recen schola ship
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
6
emphasises he impo ance o ans o ma i e educa ion, which engages lea ne s no only in
acqui ing knowledge bu also in co-c ea ing solu ions, de eloping agency, and na iga ing
unce ain y (Voog & Pa eja Roblin, 2012; Rieckmann, 2018). Howe e , hese app oaches
ace obs acles such as limi ed esou ces, gaps in eache aining, and con lic s o in e es in
cu iculum design ha dilu e ambi ion and accoun abili y (Sund & Öhman, 2025).
Key Cha ac e is ics o sus ainabili y as a wicked p oblem
● Mul iple in e connec ed sys ems ( en i onmen al, economic, social)
● Di e se s akeholde s wi h con lic ing in e es s
● Long- e m consequences spanning gene a ions
● Unce ain y in ou comes and unin ended consequences
● No oppo uni y o ial-and-e o lea ning.
Recognising sus ainabili y as a wicked p oblem hus eshapes how we imagine he ole o
VET and educa ion mo e b oadly. I is no abou deli e ing fixed answe s bu abou equipping
lea ne s wi h he compe ences o manage complexi y, nego ia e di e se pe spec i es, and
collabo a i ely design adap i e esponses. This o ien a ion esona es s ongly wi h he
philosophy o he G een Hi e p ojec , which emb aces unce ain y, os e s co-c ea ion, and
builds ecosys ems o lea ning ha p epa e he nex gene a ion o he p o ound challenges
o he g een ansi ion.
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
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3. A sys em app oach o sus ainabili y educa ion
Sus ainabili y educa ion canno be confined o isola ed disciplines o sho - e m ini ia i es;
e idence inc easingly shows ha a sys emic app oach is needed, one ha acknowledges he
in e connec ions be ween ecological, economic, and social dimensions, as well as he links
be ween local and global con ex s and among di e se s akeholde s. Such an app oach
implies ha educa ion mus p epa e indi iduals no only o unde s and en i onmen al
challenges bu also o ac wi hin complex sys ems, an icipa e unin ended consequences, and
de elop ans o ma i e capaci ies (S e ling, 2010). In Voca ional Educa ion and T aining
(VET), his means equipping lea ne s no only wi h echnical skills bu also wi h c i ical,
e lec i e, and collabo a i e compe ences ha enable hem o na iga e he g een ansi ion
in a esilien and p oac i e manne .
3.1 P epa ing lea ne s o he ci cula economy
The ansi ion owa d a ci cula economy is a he base o Eu opean sus ainabili y policies,
equi ing no only echnological changes bu also cul u al and educa ional shi s. Acco ding
o Ki chhe , Reike, and Hekke (2017), clea ly defining he ci cula economy would help
design educa ional models ha inco po a e li ecycle hinking, ma e ial euse, was e
managemen as an oppo uni y, and conside a ion o en i onmen al and social impac s. The
s udy Se ing Up an Educa ional Ecosys em o Enabling Sus ainabili y Compe ences
De elopmen 1 u he emphasises ha de eloping sus ainabili y compe ences equi es a
1 Acomi, N., Lanze a, M., Acomi, O., & Abb uzzese, G.(2025).Se ing up an educa ional
ecosys em o enabling sus ainabili y compe ences de elopmen .Re is a Românească
pen u Educaţie Mul idimensională,17(1),159-179. h ps://doi.o g/10.18662/ em/17.1/945
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
8
managemen bu also os e ed a cul u e o esponsibili y and inno a ion wi hin he school
communi y.
1s EPAL o A as
In A as, he ocus shi ed o he de e io a ion o wa e quali y, a p oblem wi h di ec
consequences o bo h he en i onmen and local communi ies. Pollu ion in he Aegean Sea,
pa icula ly nea ha bou s, had long been a ibu ed o old oil boa s, bu s uden s a he 1s
EPAL o A as e ealed ha indus ial was e, un ea ed sewage, pes icides, and e ilise s
we e he eal d i e s o ecological decline. Thei p ojec amed wa e pollu ion as a
mul i ace ed issue ha h ea ened biodi e si y, public heal h, and he li elihoods o local
fishe men. In esponse, hey de eloped a s ong ad ocacy campaign p omo ing he
educ ion o pes icide use, he imp o emen o was ewa e ea men sys ems, and s ic e
en o cemen o en i onmen al egula ions. Communi y engagemen was a co ne s one o
hei app oach: hey encou aged clean-up ac i i ies, ecycling, and awa eness campaigns,
ensu ing ha esponsibili y o p o ec ing wa e esou ces was sha ed by all. Th ough his
holis ic ision, he school linked en i onmen al p o ec ion o social and economic well-being,
inspi ing collec i e esponsibili y o sa egua ding one o li e’s mos i al esou ces.
2nd E ening Voca ional School o Nea Ionia
The 2nd E ening Voca ional School o Nea Ionia add essed he u gen issue o ising ene gy
consump ion and i s en i onmen al impac . Thei p ojec unde sco ed he impo ance o
ene gy e ficiency in sma buildings, p esen ing i no as an op ion bu as a necessi y o he
u u e. By implemen ing Ene gy Managemen Sys ems (EMS) powe ed by IoT senso s, hey
we e able o moni o ene gy consump ion in eal ime, de ec ine ficiencies, and adjus
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
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sys ems such as hea ing, en ila ion, and ligh ing o educe was e. A he same ime, he
school explo ed enewable ene gy solu ions, in eg a ing sola panels, geo he mal hea
pumps, and ene gy s o age sys ems o educe dependence on ossil uels. This dual
app oach no only dec eased ca bon emissions bu also cu ope a ional cos s, showing how
en i onmen al and economic goals could be pu sued oge he . By me ging echnology,
sus ainabili y, and educa ion, he s uden s demons a ed how local ini ia i es can con ibu e
o b oade clima e objec i es while os e ing awa eness o esponsible ene gy use among
pee s and he wide communi y.
6.2 Romania
The pa icipa ion o Romanian schools in he G een Hi e Con es demons a ed bo h
c ea i i y and commi men in add essing some o he mos u gen en i onmen al challenges.
Each school engaged wi h issues ha di ec ly a ec hei communi ies— anging om was e
managemen and ene gy e ficiency o as ashion, anspo , and ma ine pollu ion—while
also de eloping solu ions ha a e p ac ical, inno a i e, and eplicable. Thei p ojec s e lec
no only a g owing awa eness among young people o he global clima e c isis, bu also hei
de e mina ion o ake esponsibili y and o inspi e change wi hin hei schools and local
en i onmen s.
Ca ol I Comme cial College
A he Ca ol I Comme cial College, s uden s highligh ed he lack o g een spaces and
p ac ical sus ainabili y educa ion in schools. To espond o his issue, hey c ea ed he Echos
Sp ou Ini ia i e, an ac ion plan ha combines school ga dens, ecycling p og ams, and
digi al “echo challenges.” Th ough hese ac i i ies, s uden s no only educe was e and
p omo e g eene p ac ices on campus bu also inspi e hei pee s o adop clima e- iendly
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
16
habi s. Thei ision is o expand he ini ia i e o o he schools by p o iding esou ces,
wo kshops, and ne wo ks o eco-clubs.
Liceul Tehnologic Ioan N Roman Cons anța
The s uden s om Liceul Tehnologic Ioan N Roman Cons anța decided o ocus on he as
ashion indus y, which is cu en ly he wo ld’s second-la ges pollu e . They iden ified a
se ies o p oblems caused by his sec o , such as excessi e wa e was e, he use o oxic
chemicals, high CO₂ emissions, and a g owing c isis o disca ded clo hes. Thei solu ion has
been o p omo e wha hey call “sma ashion”: dona ing, swapping, and epu posing
clo hes, while also encou aging a gene al educ ion in consump ion. Thei message is
powe ul in i s simplici y: “We don’ need mo e s u .”
Ano he g oup om he same school, Liceul Tehnologic Ioan N Roman Cons anța, u ned
hei a en ion o he issue o anspo in Romania. They no ed how he coun y s ill elies
hea ily on ossil uels, esul ing in pollu ion, inequi y be ween u ban and u al a eas, and
unsa e condi ions o hose who wish o cycle. Thei p oposal emphasises he impo ance o
in es ing in cycling in as uc u e, imp o ing public anspo a ion sys ems, o e ing shu le
se ices o u al communi ies, and changing he public mindse owa ds g eene choices.
Thei ision is o cleane ai , sa e cycling pa hs, e ficien anspo , and people-fi s ci ies.
Liceul Tehnologic Nicolae Dumi escu Cumpăna
A Liceul Tehnologic Nicolae Dumi escu Cumpăna, s uden s explo ed he ongoing was e
c isis, wi h pa icula a en ion o he p oblems o landfills, school lunch was e, and
inadequa e ecycling. They esponded wi h he idea o a “Campus G een Cycle,” a
closed-loop sys em ha ans o ms o ganic was e in o compos , which is hen used o
main ain s uden - un ga dens p oducing ege ables, he bs, and lowe s o school use. The
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
17
p ojec goes beyond was e managemen , since i also ewa ds s uden s wi h eco-leade
ce ifica es, encou ages class ooms o adop plan s, and c ea es small i uals such as ea
b eaks o ein o ce sus ainable beha iou s.
Liceul Teo e ic O idius
The Liceul Teo e ic O idius app oached he issue o ene gy consump ion. S uden s no ed
how was e ul habi s o en go unno iced in e e yday li e, bo h a home and in schools. Thei
solu ion was o launch a s uden -led campaign o educe ene gy was e. The esul s we e
imp essi e: a 20% educ ion in o e all consump ion and a 50% dec ease in school ene gy
use. Thei p ojec demons a es how small, indi idual ac ions can accumula e in o significan
change, ein o cing he idea ha pe sonal esponsibili y plays a key ole in en i onmen al
sus ainabili y.
Gheo ghe Duca” Technological High School Cons anța
The s uden s o he “Gheo ghe Duca” Technological High School Cons anța deal wi h a
pa icula en i onmen al eme gency: oil spillage in he Black Sea nea Cons anța. They
ecognised he se e e h ea posed o ma ine ecosys ems and decided o simula e
coo dina ed esponses. Thei solu ion in ol ed coope a ion among di e en ac o s: NGOs
moni o ed biodi e si y, he ci y hall p o ided unding, uni e si ies de eloped models o
pollu an sp ead, and local communi ies p omo ed awa eness and legal ac ion. The p ojec
showed how i al mul i-sec o collabo a ion is in add essing la ge-scale en i onmen al
disas e s.
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
18
Romanian In e modal Associa ion
The Romanian In e modal Associa ion u ned hei a en ion o schools hemsel es,
iden i ying hem as highly ene gy-consuming spaces ha o en lack p ope ecycling and
compos ing sys ems. They also no ed ha sus ainabili y is a ely embedded in he school
cu iculum. Thei p ojec , G een Schools Now, sough o ans o m schools in o eco- iendly
ins i u ions by conduc ing ene gy s udies, ounding eco-clubs, p omo ing compos ing and
ecycling, and in eg a ing sus ainabili y p inciples in o eaching. Thei mission is o empowe
s uden s and eache s alike o con ibu e ac i ely o g eene schools.
6.3 Spain
The pa icipa ion o Spanish schools in he G een Hi e Con es is cha ac e ised by a s ong
emphasis on c ea i i y, collabo a ion, and inclusi i y. The p ojec s combined a , music,
science, and social engagemen , showing how sus ainabili y can be embedded in o
educa ion in inno a i e and inspi ing ways. Each ini ia i e e lec s he commi men o
s uden s and educa o s no only o aise awa eness o en i onmen al p oblems bu also o
p o ide solu ions ha a e p ac ical, socially ele an , and oo ed in communi y ac ion.
Cen o de Fo mación P o esional EAP
A he Cen o de Fo mación P o esional EAP, s uden s de eloped a collabo a i e ini ia i e
aimed a educing he ca bon oo p in o he educa ional sec o by me ging a , scien ific
esea ch, and sus ainable educa ion. In pa ne ship wi h he School o A s o Pon e as,
u ban ske ching g oups om Spain and Po ugal, he Spanish Na ional Resea ch Council, and
he aining company Fe sza, hey designed a calenda o e en s o p omo e sus ainabili y
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
19
h ough c ea i e engagemen . Thei h ee challenges—u ban ske ching on he impac o
was e on biodi e si y, und aising h ough he sale o a wo k o finance eco- iendly
in as uc u e in schools, and he c ea ion o a di ec o y o sus ainable local
businesses—combined en i onmen al awa eness wi h p ac ical ac ion. This p ojec
illus a es how a can se e as a powe ul ool o inspi e sus ainable beha iou , while also
gene a ing angible benefi s o schools and communi ies.
G upo Femxa
The s uden s o G upo Femxa ocused hei p ojec on ackling ene gy was e, a p essing
issue ha inc eases bo h emissions and cos s in daily li e. They designed a h ee-pa
solu ion consis ing o awa eness campaigns, a low-cos moni o ing sys em o display
eal- ime ene gy usage, and weekly class challenges o ac i ely educe consump ion. Wha
makes hei ini ia i e pa icula ly inno a i e is he a en ion gi en o inclusi i y: hey
collabo a ed wi h ACCEM, an o ganisa ion suppo ing e ugees, and Telen o, a cen e o
people wi h acqui ed b ain inju ies, o ensu e hei campaign was cul u ally di e se and
accessible. Thei app oach demons a ed ha sus ainabili y canno be sepa a ed om social
jus ice, since ulne able communi ies o en ace addi ional ba ie s in adop ing sus ainable
p ac ices. By combining inclusi i y wi h p ac icali y, G upo Femxa c ea ed a solu ion ha is
bo h ealis ic and scalable.
Ulises
The p ojec om Ulises ook a di e en bu equally powe ul pa h by using music as a ool
o en i onmen al educa ion. Belie ing ha music is he mos powe ul weapon wi hou
bulle s o change he wo ld, hey o ganised a wo kshop in which pa icipan s we e in i ed o
w i e and pe o m a song abou he en i onmen . S a ing om a simple hy hm and melody,
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
20
he child en b ains o med opics and solu ions ela ed o ca ing o na u e, ans o ming
hei ideas in o ly ics. This ini ia i e emphasised c ea i i y and emo ional exp ession as
d i e s o awa eness, showing how s uden s can ake pa in shaping a cul u e o
sus ainabili y h ough a is ic engagemen .
6.4 I eland
The I ish pa icipan s in he G een Hi e Con es b ough o wa d an inspi ing a ie y o
p ojec s ha e lec bo h local challenges and b oade global conce ns. Thei ini ia i es
explo ed hemes such as ood was e, sus ainable anspo and ou ism, he esponsible use
o wa e , and he g eening o educa ional ins i u ions hemsel es. Wha uni es hese p ojec s
is he con ic ion ha educa ion, c ea i i y, and collabo a ion a e powe ul d i e s o
sus ainable change, capable o ans o ming no only indi idual beha iou s bu also he
wide communi y.
Laois and O aly Educa ion and T aining Boa d (LOETB)
The Laois and O aly Educa ion and T aining Boa d (LOETB) ocused on wo key hemes
ha eme ged du ing hei wo kshop discussions: he ood was e c isis and he impo ance o
econnec ing wi h na u e h ough digi al skills. Food was e is a majo issue in Eu ope, wi h
households esponsible o mo e han hal o he o al gene a ed annually. In I eland alone,
750,000 onnes o ood was e we e eco ded in 2022, equa ing o 146 kilog ams pe
pe son—abo e he EU a e age. The LOETB p ojec emphasised he ole o educa ion in
changing habi s: om be e unde s anding supe ma ke p omo ions like “buy one, ge one
ee,” o lea ning how o plan meals, in e p e “bes be o e” and “use by” da es, and b idge
he knowledge gaps abou he en i onmen al and social cos s o was e. Alongside his, hey
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
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also explo ed how digi al skills can be used o emb ace na u e— o example, h ough apps
ha iden i y plan s and bi ds while spending ime in g een spaces. This dual app oach shows
how educa ion can bo h educe was e and help lea ne s build heal hie , mo e sus ainable
li es yles by combining digi al ools wi h na u e engagemen .
Mayo, Sligo and Lei im Educa ion and T aining Boa d (MSLETB)
In Mayo, Sligo and Lei im Educa ion and T aining Boa d (MSLETB), s uden s in Wes po
examined he impac o ou ism and local de elopmen on hei communi y. Wes po is a
popula own along he Wild A lan ic Way, a ac ing millions o isi o s each yea . While
ou ism b ings economic benefi s, s uden s ecognised ha i also gene a es pollu ion,
p essu es local wa e supplies, and inc eases he s ain on old, ene gy-ine ficien buildings.
Thei solu ions add essed hese p oblems holis ically. They p omo ed cycling and ain a el
as sus ainable anspo al e na i es ha also imp o e fi ness, educe s ess, and build
social connec ions. They highligh ed he u gen need o educa ion a ound wa e
conse a ion, especially in island communi ies such as Achill, whe e demand spikes du ing
he summe . They also s essed he impo ance o be e communica ion abou g an s o
imp o e ene gy e ficiency in olde buildings. Beyond hese measu es, hei aining in
ho icul u e—known locally as “ he compound”—al eady p o ides a p ac ical model o
sus ainable ood p oduc ion, om compos ing and i iga ion o o ganic c op cul i a ion. This
combina ion o sus ainable anspo , ou ism, ene gy use, and ood p oduc ion
demons a es a comp ehensi e ision o local esilience.
Technological Uni e si y o he Shannon (TUS)
A he Technological Uni e si y o he Shannon (TUS), s uden s ackled he en i onmen al
impac o educa ional ins i u ions hemsel es, which, despi e hei ole in sus ainabili y
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
22
educa ion, o en gene a e high le els o emissions. Using he Clima e Ac ion Roadmap and
he G eenComp amewo k, business s uden s p oposed h ee inno a i e ideas o g een hei
campus. The fi s cen ed on p omo ing local and sus ainable ood op ions, linking e e yday
choices o global goals such as esponsible consump ion, clima e ac ion, and good heal h.
The second, i led “The G een Rese ,” engaged s a and s uden s in c ea ing biodeg adable
and sus ainable p oduc s o educe campus was e, while also os e ing communi y and
c ea i i y. The hi d ini ia i e ocused on sus ainable goods and ood op ions h ough an open
space dialogue me hod, encou aging inclusi i y, collabo a ion, and u u e li e acy. Toge he ,
hese ideas emphasised ha small ac ions, whe he in ood choices, p oduc design, o
communi y dialogue, can accumula e in o a las ing cul u e o sus ainabili y wi hin highe
educa ion.
6.5 I aly
I aly’s con ibu ion o he p ojec highligh ed he di e si y o app oaches ha can be aken o
make sus ainabili y conc e e, inno a i e, and inclusi e. F om oca ional aining o gamified
pla o ms and ci ic engagemen , I alian pa ne s demons a ed how echnology, educa ion,
and pa icipa ion can me ge o add ess p essing en i onmen al challenges while also
empowe ing lea ne s and communi ies.
081Lab
081Lab p esen ed Spa kSma , a ailo -made digi al solu ion designed o ackle he in isible
bu significan p oblem o ene gy was e in oca ional schools. Buildings consume 40% o
Eu ope’s ene gy, and in schools, ligh s, hea ing, and de ices a e o en le unning
unnecessa ily. Spa kSma esponds wi h a ligh weigh pla o m ha allows lea ne s o
collec da a, isualise consump ion in eal ime, and analyse ends, be o e aking ac ion
Sus ainabili y: New App oaches o a Wicked P oblem
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h ough s uden -led ini ia i es. The pla o m, de eloped in collabo a ion wi h a local
non-p ofi o ganisa ion, combines echnical expe ise wi h g ass oo s en i onmen al
educa ion. By acking, isualising, analysing, and ac ing, lea ne s no only become mo e
ene gy-conscious bu also ake owne ship o hei school’s sus ainabili y jou ney.
Aki a
AKIRA de eloped Wa e Gua dians, an engaging ini ia i e ha p omo es wa e conse a ion
h ough gamifica ion. A a ime when o e wo billion people s ill lack access o sa e d inking
wa e , he p ojec aises awa eness o was e, pollu ion, and he beha iou al gaps ha pe sis
in e e yday li e. The pla o m ans o ms simple ac ions—such as u ning o aps, fixing
leaks, o using eco- iendly de e gen s—in o missions ha ea n poin s, badges, and ewa ds.
Communi y spi i is os e ed h ough eam challenges and leade boa ds, while pa ne ships
wi h associa ions, companies, and esea che s g ound he p ojec in local eali ies. By
combining un, compe i ion, and educa ion, Wa e Gua dians demons a es how small
indi idual choices, when scaled up, can gene a e a las ing collec i e impac on wa e
conse a ion.
Fo um Lex
Fo um Lex ocused on he social dimension o sus ainabili y, add essing he isk ha he
g een ansi ion migh deepen inequali y i ma ginalised communi ies a e excluded. Thei
ini ia i e, G een Toge he , wo ks o ensu e ha sus ainabili y becomes a igh a he han a
p i ilege. Th ough wo kshops, c ea i e labs, and public campaigns, he p ojec empowe s
you h om disad an aged backg ounds o build awa eness, pa icipa e in ci ic li e, and
ad oca e o clima e jus ice. Collabo a ions wi h schools, law en o cemen , and policymake s
ensu e ha young people’s oices each decision-make s and shape inclusi e policies. Wi h
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