Education for Sustainable Development: What we need to learn to save the planet? – 2004

Abstract: <br/ >

“This essay is a result of decades of reflection and action on ecology and its relationship with education. The author describes this experience starting from his participation in the Eco-92 conference, in which he took part in the elaboration of the Earth Charter and the Treaty on Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies and Global Responsibility. The author is currently a member of United Nation’s Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Reference Group. In this text, he presents and questions the theme education for sustainable development and starts by discussing about the polissemy of the concept “sustainable development” and its relationship with solidary economy, with the globalization context, sustainable lifestyle and the construction of a planetary civilization. He also presents ecopedagogy as the most appropriate pedagogy for the Decade’s process of educating for another possible world. He emphasizes the Decade as a good opportunity for environmental education to give more attention to economic dimensions and to the theme development itself. He also sees it as a good opportunity for educational systems to renew their principles and policies based on the concept sustainability. Finally, he presents the main challenges faced by education for sustainable development by asking what do we really need to learn in order to save the planet.”