Ecopedagogy is an environmental pedagogy grounded in critical and popular education theories and philosophies. Although its definitions and focal points vary, it emerged from—and was profoundly influenced by—the work of Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and philosopher. He authored Pedagogy of the Oppressed in 1968 and Pedagogy of Indignation in 2000, emphasizing the idea that living organisms are oppressed. Ecopedagogy developed amid the late‑1990s efforts to diversify ecocriticism. As the field grew, ecopedagogy became a key framework that places civic engagement at the heart of ecocritical teaching.