Tempi, modi e prospettive dell'educazione alla sostenibilità: paradigmi della cittadinanza

The current models of development are changing the balance between human activity and Nature on a local and global level and the urgent need to establish a new relationship between Man and the environment is increasingly apparent. The move towards a more caring approach to the planet introducing concepts such as limits, impact on future generations, regeneration of resources, social and environmental justice and the right to citizenship should make us consider (aside from international undertakings by governments) exactly how we can promote a culture of sustainability in schools in terms of methods, time scales, and location. Schools are directly involved in these processes of change however it is necessary to plan carefully and establish situations that will result in greater attention being paid to the interaction between man and the environment, and highlighting the lifestyles and attitudes that are currently incompatible with a sustainable future. These solutions, although based on technical-scientific knowledge, cannot be brought about without the involvement of the individual and local agencies working together. However we have chosen to concentrate on the links between educational policies and local areas interpreting declarations made by international bodies such as UNESCO and suggestions aimed at bringing sustainability to the centre of specific policies. Bringing about these aims requires great educational effort that goes well beyond simple environmental education since it requires a permanent process for educating adults. Looking at stages of the history of the theories regarding the development and education of adults shows how the topic of sustainability made its entry into the debate about permanent education and how in the last ten years it has taken on an unrivalled importance as a point of reference for educational policies and pedagogical reflection. The origin of the concept of sustainability, although belonging to natural sciences, finds an application in the meeting of values, policies and environments, on a local and global level, indicating a new approach to managing human actions. The idea of permanent education as an educational ecosystem represents a privileged space in which to appreciate the work of authors who have made criticism of the unsustainable development a central part of their pedagogical experience and to reflect on the contribution the question of sustainability has made to pedagogic issues such as participation, peace and citizenship.