Table 1. Sustainability concept... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1.

Sustainability concept comparison

Concept	Core focus	Role	References
Education about sustainability	Knowledge	Thinks about transformation	Lange et al. (2021)
Education for sustainability	Competence	Enables transformation	Lange et al. (2021)
Education as sustainability	Transformative process for an epistemic shift (values)	Makes transformation possible	Lange et al. (2021), Mezirow (2003), Rekalde-Rodríguez (2026), and Wahl and Rudinger (2025)
Education becoming sustainability	Knowledge, competence and epistemic shift for holistic transformation toward sustainability (attitudes)	Transforms	Lange et al. (2021) and UNESCO (2017)
Sustainability mindset	Knowledge, values competence and epistemic shift for holistic transformation toward sustainability (attitudes)	Being the transformation through lifelong profound reflection on values and purpose regarding sustainability	Kassel et al. (2018), Molderez et al. (2021), Pestalozzi (1801/1894) and UNESCO (2017)

Concept	Core focus	Role	References
Education about sustainability	Knowledge	Thinks about transformation	Lange et al. (2021)
Education for sustainability	Competence	Enables transformation	Lange et al. (2021)
Education as sustainability	Transformative process for an epistemic shift (values)	Makes transformation possible	Lange et al. (2021), Mezirow (2003), Rekalde-Rodríguez (2026), and Wahl and Rudinger (2025)
Education becoming sustainability	Knowledge, competence and epistemic shift for holistic transformation toward sustainability (attitudes)	Transforms	Lange et al. (2021) and UNESCO (2017)
Sustainability mindset	Knowledge, values competence and epistemic shift for holistic transformation toward sustainability (attitudes)	Being the transformation through lifelong profound reflection on values and purpose regarding sustainability	Kassel et al. (2018), Molderez et al. (2021), Pestalozzi (1801/1894) and UNESCO (2017)