Reframing Education for Sustainable Development Through Deep Ecology: A Systematic Review and Transformative Education Framework

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is widely regarded as the primary educational response to global ecological crises; however, it is frequently criticised for its anthropocentric and instrumental orientation. Deep ecology, with its emphasis on the intrinsic value of all beings and the relational nature of existence, offers a radical philosophical foundation for reorienting sustainability education toward ontological and ethical transformation. Research connecting deep ecology and education, however, remains fragmented and lacks a systematic synthesis. This study therefore conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 34 peer-reviewed articles, retrieved through a structured Scopus search, screened following PRISMA guidelines, and analysed by qualitative thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that deep ecology is predominantly conceptualised as an ethical and philosophical foundation, while experiential and nature-based pedagogies dominate its practical application. Reported outcomes concentrate at the level of ecological awareness and value orientation; fewer studies reach ecological identity, and fewer still report sustained sustainability action. A gap analysis across five domains curriculum, teaching practice, teacher beliefs, policy, and assessment shows deep ecology to be partially addressed rather than systematically integrated. In response, the study proposes the Deep Ecology Transformative Education Framework (DETEF), a five-stage model linking ethical reflection, relational understanding, ecological identity formation, experiential engagement, and action integration. DETEF bridges deep-ecological philosophy and transformative educational practice within ESD, offering clear guidance for curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, and empirical inquiry. The framework provides a structured pathway for embedding deep ecology into ESD, thereby fostering ontological and ethical transformations in both learners and educators.