Reaffirming sustainability in higher education: A call to leadership in a challenging time
Each year, Earth Day invites a chance to focus and take action, on our shared responsibility to steward the planet. For higher education in 2025, this moment comes at a charged time. American colleges and universities have been powerful catalysts for sustainability research and innovation, until recently when efforts at advancement and research have become politicized.
The global climate changes do not stop while we seek to figure out the new landscape. While the United States retreats from sustainability initiatives through a reduction in federal funding for climate and environmental research, China and other nations are doubling down, positioning themselves as global leaders in the race for green innovation. If the US higher education abdicates, the longer-term economic consequences could be profound.
Meanwhile, the market for sustainable education is on a longer term positive trajectory, with sustainability focused degree programs surging by 45% globally since 2020. There is growing demand for “green skills” from energy engineers to sustainable business strategists. The opportunity for higher education is to continue to fuel the development of a modern workforce and the innovations that will power our economy in the years to come.
The Dual Sustainability Crisis: Environment and Enrollment
Sustainability isn’t just about the planet. It’s also about the future of higher education itself.
The demographic cliff, the projected sharp drop in college-aged students beginning in 2025, poses existential questions to many institutions. Attracting mission-driven learners who want to build careers that protect and sustain the planet can be part of the solution. Institutions that integrate sustainability into their identity through degrees, research, and campus operations will be better positioned to appeal to tomorrow’s students.
Sustainability as a Growth Engine for Education
The surge in sustainability-related programs indicates learner demand and interest in these areas of focus. Learners today want education that is:
- Mission-driven: Aligned with solving real-world challenges, like climate change, resource management, and global equity.
- Career-focused: Preparing them for booming sectors in green technology, renewable energy, sustainable finance, and circular economy innovation.
- Global-minded: Connecting to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recognizing the international scope of environmental and social challenges.
Forward-thinking institutions are responding. Programs embedding sustainability across disciplines — from engineering to humanities — are growing, and AI-driven adaptive learning platforms are beginning to tailor sustainability education to learners’ backgrounds and goals.
Political Headwinds Demand Academic Courage
The federal support for education and research, and public funding, has shifted in the current US administration, but colleges and universities are not powerless.
By investing in sustainability education and research with private-sector partners, foundations, and local governments, higher education can continue to drive innovation and workforce development even in a shifting political landscape.
Sustainability is also about a smarter way of working and building business models that are resilient to these very same challenges and changes.
Global Competition: A Wake-Up Call
While the US debates and divests, China is investing heavily in environmental research. Chinese scholars already produce 36% of the world’s climate change publications, and this figure is likely to rise.
US institutions must recognize that global leadership in sustainability is not guaranteed. It must be earned, through research excellence, international collaboration, and bold educational programs that empower the next generation of climate innovators.
A Path Forward: What Colleges Can Do
To lead, colleges and universities can:
- Expand sustainability-focused programs across all fields, from STEM to business to the arts.
- Partner with employers to address the green skills gap and provide clear pathways from classroom to career.
- Embed sustainability into the campus culture, from operations to curricula to community engagement.
- Tell powerful stories about sustainability successes, using storytelling techniques proven to increase public engagement.
- Champion research on sustainability, including seeking private and philanthropic funding to offset public sector cuts.
Earth Day reminds us that stewardship requires both action and hope. In the face of political turbulence, higher education can and must choose leadership.
Sustainability is not just about our planet, it’s about our institutions and our shared future. Building better, more resilient, and more sustainable models of operation will provide us with the best path to the future.