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The Nature-Based Solutions Education Summit 2025, hosted by NBS EduWORLD, brought together 150 participants, including experts, policymakers, and educators, to advance the integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in education. Held online on 27 March 2025, the event focused on knowledge exchange, policy recommendations, and best practices, ensuring that sustainability and NBS become a fundamental part of learning.

Key highlights and outcomes

1. Policy and sustainability in education: A keynote from Deirdre Hodson from the Directorate-General for Education, Youth,  Sport and Culture, European Commission highlighted the EU’s efforts in sustainability education, emphasising GreenComp, a framework guiding green skills development. Key challenges remain in embedding sustainability into curricula, but initiatives like Erasmus+ and peer-learning networks support educators in overcoming these barriers.
2. Tools and guidelines for educators: The summit introduced key resources to help educators integrate NBS into teaching, including a Learning Scenario Template, a MOOC, and interdisciplinary learning tools. The event showcased examples from NBS EduWORLD, which connects educators and researchers across Europe, ensuring accessibility to high-quality NBS materials.
3. NBS in higher education and vocational training: Projects like eNaBlS and NBS EduWORLD (with the Learning Units) address the need for structured NBS education in universities and vocational training. Flexible learning units and interdisciplinary collaboration help bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling students and professionals to engage with real-world sustainability challenges.
4. The role of Living Labs in education: Schools are increasingly becoming NBS Living Labs, integrating sustainability into learning environments. Initiatives such as COOLSCHOOLS demonstrate how nature-based schoolyards improve well-being and cognitive development while fostering biodiversity. The NBS Academy is also co-developing teacher training programmes, ensuring that NBS concepts are embedded in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
5. Policy action and future steps: A dedicated workshop on NBS policy action in education gathered insights on integrating NBS into early childhood, primary, secondary, higher, and lifelong learning. Discussions highlighted the need for curriculum updates, teacher training, and institutional support. The policy recommendations, set for release in August 2025, will provide concrete strategies to scale up NBS education.

A collective effort towards Sustainability Education
The Nature-Based Solutions Education Summit 2025 highlighted the importance of collaboration between educators, policymakers, and communities. With upcoming resources, training programmes, and policy recommendations launching in August, the Summit set the stage for sustainable, nature-based learning in Europe and beyond. Stay connected with NBS EduWORLD to follow the latest developments and join the movement toward nature-based education for a greener future.

For further exploration of related resources, check out:

• Padlet by Deirdre Hodson: A collection of materials and links
• Webinar on Transforming Schools for Sustainability: Registration link for insights on sustainable education
• eNaBlS Padlet: Resources on fostering higher education practices
• NBS Academy Project Linktree: Additional project-related information
• The NbS Storytelling Toolkit: Guides and strategies to inspire NbS action.
• ICLEI’s UrbanByNature Programme: Supporting nature integration in urban spaces.
• NBS EduWORLD’s Repository of NbS Education Materials: Comprehensive NbS education resources and tools.