Educating for Sustainability in Primary Schools: Teaching for the Future

Abstract

Our planet is under enormous stress. Our children are growing up with the legacy of mismanagement of previous generations, including ours, which has resulted in visible signs of large-scale environmental and social harm associated with climate change, ecosystem destruction, resource depletion and pollution. Concerns about the resultant damage have been expressed for many years. For example, a report from the Club of Rome pointed to these potential problems more than 40 years ago (Meadows, 1972), and all of them are now plainly evident. It is clear that these issues are real and that they must be addressed, as is propounded in current international debates and extensive media coverage.