A Comparison Of Ecological Education And Sustainable Development Education

Abstract

An education for sustainable development aims to: (1) promote knowledge about the environment and its condition; (2) provide criteria, standards and recommendations for decision-making regarding the preservation of the natural environment and comprehensive solutions to social, economic and ecological issues; (3) demonstrate the possibilities for economic development while preserving the environment; and (4) increase the importance of ecological traditions and ecologically sensible means of running the economy in order to foster environmental stewardship. An education for sustainable development involves the study of the conditions of balance of social-natural systems, equilibrium planning and sustainable management of territorial units, resources and economies. Recently, the use of the concept of sustainable development has been gaining momentum due to the prospect of reaping economic and political dividends from its implementation. This paper will outline, in detail, what an education for sustainable development is and how it differs from ecological education; this is a crucial distinction considering current, pressing environmental issues.