This article outlines the leading concepts which are being discussed in the current debate on education for sustainable development (ESD) in Austria, detailing their historic development and characteristic features, as well as the empirical experience gained in school development to date. These concepts are environmental education, development education/global learning and peace education. With the emergence of ESD and, notably, the launch of the United Nations Decade for ESD, these hitherto separate currents should start to converge. We will be seeing common endeavours to define ESD more concretely as a regulatory idea and to learn from one another and, in joint settings, to support cooperation, launch joint projects and also to enhance individual profiles. These endeavours should be promoted under an Austrian strategy for ESD. (Contains 1 note.)