It is of fundamental importance that the world's communities design and work out their own alternatives to existing policies. Such alternatives include the abolition of those programs of development, adjustment and economic reform which maintain the existing growth model with its devastating effects on the environment and its diverse species, including the human one. We consider that environmental education should urgently bring about change in the quality of life and a greater consciousness of personal conduct, as well as harmony among human beings and between them and other forms of life. Some Principles Of Environmental Education For Equitable And Sustainable Societies 6. Environmental education, whether formal, non-formal or informal, should be grounded in critical and innovative thinking in any place or time, promoting the transformation and construction of society.
Environmental education is both individual and collective.
It aims to develop local and global citizenship with respect for self-determination and the sovereignty of nations. Environmental education is not neutral but ideological. It is a political act. Environmental education must involve a holistic approach and thus an interdisciplinary focus in the relation between human beings, nature and the universe. Environmental education must stimulate solidarity, equality and respect for human rights involving democratic strategies and an open climate of cultural interchange.