Sustainability literacy and sustainability competence in education a systematic review of conceptual differentiation assessment and pedagogical approaches

This systematic review examines the conceptual evolution from sustainability literacy to sustainability competence, operational frameworks, assessment approaches, and pedagogical strategies. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a search in Scopus (2016–2026) identified 385 records; 30 articles were analyzed using thematic synthesis and bibliometric techniques. The findings reveal three phases of conceptual development: the foundational phase (2017–2019), the consolidation phase (2020–2022), and the diversification phase (2023–2026), with sustainability literacy and sustainability competency emerging as complementary constructs. Five studies (16.7%) explicitly used the Wiek–Brundiers framework, while most (83.3%) developed or adapted diverse contextual frameworks, with cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains emerging as the most consistent dimensions. Among the 21 studies contributing to the empirical assessment typology, self-report was the most frequently represented assessment approach, accounting for 13 studies (61.9%). However, cross-cultural validation was not reported for the instruments identified in those studies. Real-world, practice-based, and arts-based learning showed promise within these studies, whereas no studies involving immersive technologies were identified within the reviewed research. However, this finding should be interpreted cautiously because technology-specific terms were not explicitly included in the search strategy. An evidence gap has been identified at the intersection of vocational education, secondary education, and the context of developing countries, where no empirical studies have been found that evaluate pedagogical interventions. These findings indicate that the field is undergoing increasingly robust conceptual development, although methodological consistency and contextual diversity remain limited. Future research should prioritize instrument harmonization, cross-cultural validation, and greater empirical attention to the Global South to strengthen the implementation of SDG 4.7.