In order to achieve a sustainable society, a citizen must be supported in overcoming any important gaps or challenges. Preparing people for Environmental Citizenship and Education for Sustainability shows coincidences in some dimensions and differences in others. However, within its definition, Environmental Citizenship has a strong emphasis on the environmental dimension of sustainability and on civic engagement in the private, social and political sphere. Environmental Citizens are able to exercise their environmental rights and duties, are able to identify the underlying structural causes of environmental degradation and environmental problems and have the willingness and the competences to address critical and active engagements. They act individually and collectively within democratic means, and consider inter- and intra-generational justice. Education for Environmental Citizenship is relevant because it can strengthen the achievement of sustainability goals through a more active civic participation. Education for Environmental Citizenship needs to develop the dispositions, skills and competencies that will enable students to reach this level of environmental awareness with wider spatial and temporal scopes, using specific educational approaches and methodologies that promote these qualities in individuals. Robust Education for Environmental Citizenship to enhance governance skills can contribute to the effective safeguarding of the environment as a holistic entity that encompasses natural, societal and economic dimensions.
This article proposes a model that describes and frames sustainability commitment. The model is based on didactic theory and pragmatic philosophy and is informed by several empirical studies on environmental and sustainability education (ESE) practice. The intention is for the model to serve as a critical perspective on ESE practices in secondary and upper secondary schools, and to offer a framework for the development of future practice with emphasis on teachers’ choices of content and teaching methods. The model suggests that a sound commitment is situated in the intersection of the intellectual, emotional, and practical aspects of sustainability. It is argued that: The intellectual aspect is essential for giving the commitment scientific rigor and a critical stance; emotions are vital for students to become dedicated; and skills to carry out appropriate actions for change is necessary for playing an active role in providing a sustainable transformation of society.
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