Tracing the Concept of Sustainable Development in Norwegian Local Government Plans regarding Education and Upbringing

This article examines how sustainable development (SD) is articulated and approached in Norwegian local government plans (LGPs) for education and upbringing. The findings show that 197 of 356 municipalities lack an accessible LGP in this domain, and only 13 explicitly address SD. Document analysis reveals that, where included, SD and some SDGs are treated superficially, with vague operationalisation and minimal integration of the social, environmental, and economic pillars. The results highlight an urgent need for supportive measures and increased municipal competency to translate and implement SD and the SDGs into local policies and practices, ensuring LGPs can effectively guide schools towards sustainability.