Emerging Sustainability Practices: Education, Green Hydrogen, and Methodological Approaches and Analyses for Sustainability Challenges

Abstract

Sustainability is a global imperative in the face of escalating climate crises, diminishing natural resources, and growing energy demands. The core concept of sustainability—meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own—has long guided efforts in sustainable development, climate action, and the energy transition. In this article, the authors—participants in the 2025 Oxford Round Table Symposium on Education and Sustainability—examine how sustainability has progressed in the education and energy sectors, with a particular focus on green hydrogen production. We also explore persistent sustainability challenges, including increasing energy demands, land use issues associated with data centers, and limited public understanding and systematic failures in recycling and waste management. Despite these ongoing challenges, we offer a hopeful perspective, advocating for expanded government support in areas such as environmental education, recycling, and cross-sector partnerships. We also underscore the value of engaging individuals through personification and localization of sustainability efforts. Throughout the article, we incorporate diverse perspectives from professors and students across disciplines including chemical engineering, political science, critical writing, mathematics, physics-informed neural network, pure chemistry and health.