Tidig fostran för ett hållbart samhälle

I have always believed that best investment one can make is in education for children. And nowadays we speak so much about the need for creating a sustainable future for our children and generations to come. But what can we do, as a society, to help our children become earth-friendly citizens? When looking for answers I have found a publication which originates from the international workshop ‘The Role of Early Childhood Education for a Sustainable Society’, held in Göteborg, Sweden, in May 2007. Maybe too long for reading (only 135 pages :-) but worth having a look at, just to get an idea.


“The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society” report published in 2008, explains how to educate young children with the aim of preventing further degradation of our planet and contributing to a sustainable society where values of human rights, peace and justice are upheld.

The publication argues that as early childhood education is about laying a sound intellectual, psychological, emotional, social and physical foundation, it has an enormous potential in fostering values, attitudes and skills that support sustainable development.

There is a great deal in the traditions of early childhood pedagogies that align with education for sustainability for example, like use of the outdoors for learning and learning through real life projects.

The publication cites concrete case studies and best practices in Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Iceland, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

UNESCO is the lead agency for United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).