The goals of science education are scientific literacy and competence to use scientific knowledge and skills in a changing world with many sustainability challenges. However, while the number of studies focusing on school sustainability education is increasing, there is not much research on the competence to act for sustainability in school science education. The aim of this study is to clarify how the competence is studied in the research focusing on sustainability and science education in schools. In the literature review, 21 studies using the terms related to competence to act for sustainability were found. In most cases, the concept action competence (AC) was used, while only two studies used the concept sustainability competence (SC). Eight of the studies were theoretical and had varying definitions for context-dependent AC. Most empirical studies addressed AC in the context of school science education or different-aged citizens and focused on participants’ perceptions of or emotions related to science and sustainability issues and AC. Few empirical studies addressed AC in biology education, focusing on human biology, health, sexuality and equity issues in school textbooks. The results indicate that regardless of the increasing emphasis on sustainability issues and competence in educational policy documents and science curricula, there is a need of more theoretical research on competence definition, as well as empirical research on the implementation of AC for sustainability in science education.