Formal, non-formal and informal learning

The Action Plan of the Youth Strategy 2022-2024 (Estrategia de Juventud Plan de Acción 2022-2024) includes commitments to strengthen global citizenship education and youth awareness of the SDGs, sustainability and global justice through formal and non‑formal learning.

Spain promotes young people’s awareness of global issues through formal education, non‑formal and informal learning, and youth‑targeted information campaigns. Public authorities at national and regional levels play a major role in providing tools, resources and programmes that strengthen knowledge of sustainable development, global citizenship, environmental protection and climate action.

Formal learning

Awareness of global issues is integrated into the formal education system through the curricular reforms introduced by:

1. Royal Decree 157/2022 on Primary Education (Real Decreto 157/2022, por el que se establecen la ordenación y las enseñanzas mínimas de la Educación Primaria)
2. Royal Decree 217/2022 on Compulsory Secondary Education (Real Decreto 217/2022, por el que se establece la ordenación y las enseñanzas mínimas de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria)
3. Royal Decree 243/2022 for Baccalaureate (Real Decreto 243/2022, de 5 de abril, por el que se establecen la ordenación y las enseñanzas mínimas del Bachillerato). T

These reforms embed competences related to:

• Sustainability and environmental protection, including responsible consumption and environmental ethics.
• Understanding global interdependence, eco‑social responsibility and links between local actions and global challenges.
• Scientific literacy on climate and biodiversity, with content on ecosystem conservation, global warming and sustainable development models. 

These competences ensure that all learners develop knowledge and values related to climate change, social sustainability and global citizenship, and reflect Spain’s broader commitments under the 2030 Agenda and national education strategies.

Non-formal learning

Spain supports a wide range of publicly funded or publicly coordinated programmes aimed at strengthening young people’s understanding of environmental challenges and sustainable development through experiential and community‑based learning.

The Green Homes Programme (Hogares Verdes), coordinated by the National Centre for Environmental Education (Centro Nacional de Educación Ambiental, CENEAM), helps families — including young people — to adopt more sustainable lifestyles through guidance on energy use, water consumption and ethical purchasing. The programme operates nationwide and engages more than 1,000 households nationally through a network of regional partnerships with NGOs and regional authorities.

The Terral initiative — implemented by the Government of Andalusia in collaboration with the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge and the Ministry of Education — supports schools in promoting climate awareness and energy saving. It offers training workshops and guides, online courses and classroom resources and forms part of regional climate education efforts.

The University of Youth and Development (Universidad de la Juventud y el Desarrollo) hosted at CEULAJ, offers a multilateral learning space that promotes global citizenship, sustainability and youth cooperation (cross‑reference: see 9.6 for its role in Euro‑Latin youth work).

Youth‑targeted information campaigns on global issues

Spain implements or supports several public initiatives and platforms designed to raise awareness among young people about climate action, environmental stewardship and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Community#ForTheClimate  (Comunidad #PorElClima) is a multi‑stakeholder platform launched in 2016 to mobilise citizens and organisations around the Paris Agreement. It provides hundreds of tools, videos, and good practices to help individuals and youth groups take climate action, and includes contributions from NGOs, public bodies and local entities.

The Green in Everyday Life project (Green4Life), co‑funded by Erasmus+ and MITECO, engages young people and households in reducing their environmental impact through resources, videos, and tools based on the Green Homes methodology. The project involves partners from Spain, Sweden, Italy, the UK, Morocco and Jordan. 

Information providers

The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation and MITECO play key roles in disseminating information on global development, climate action and sustainability. Their resources include awareness materials aligned with the 2030 Agenda, environmental education guides, and youth‑relevant digital content.

The Euro-Latin American Youth Centre (CEULAJ) is a national and international hub for youth information, resources and activities, managed by INJUVE, which promotes closer ties and youth cooperation between Latin America and Europe. 

Key initiatives

The main national initiatives raising awareness among young people about global issues are summarised below (see subsections above for full descriptions):

• Green Homes (Hogares Verdes) — National environmental education programme coordinated by CENEAM promoting sustainable household habits and eco‑responsibility.
• Terral — Climate education initiative in Andalusian schools, supported by regional authorities and national ministries.
• Community #PorElClima — Multi‑stakeholder platform mobilising citizens and youth around climate action and the Paris Agreement.
• Green4Life — Erasmus+ and MITECO‑supported project offering tools and materials for sustainable lifestyles among young people.
• University of Youth and Development — Annual multilateral training and dialogue event addressing sustainability, global citizenship and development education.
• InteRed International Volunteering Course — Public‑NGO partnership providing young people with learning spaces related to global justice and sustainable development.

Opportunities for international volunteering linked to global awareness are described in Chapter 9.6.