Climate Lit

Topics » Climate Literacy » Climate Change Education » Pedagogical Models » Ecopedagogy

Topic: Ecopedagogy

Ecopedagogy

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.

Ecopedagogy is situated at the intersection of ecology and pedagogy, emphasizing education grounded in an ecological worldview. Within the field, two major strands of thought have developed. Philosophical ecopedagogy—often referred to as ecosophy—focuses on the metaphysical exploration of the human–nature relationship and its implications for education. Critical ecopedagogy exposes the injustice and oppression behind environmental issues and strives for a more just and sustainable world guided byecojustice.

In 2008, Richard Kahn identified three core goals of ecopedagogy. The first is to build basic environmental literacy, helping learners understand the interdependence of ecosystems at all scales. The second encourages cultural ecoliteracy, inviting critique of unsustainable social values and practices. The third emphasizes active participation in ecological politics and the creation of movements that challenge destructive systems and promote ecological and social justice. Collectively, these goals define ecopedagogy as both an educational and political approach that encourages ecological awareness with critical, active citizenship.

In her article “Children’s Environmental Literature: From Ecocriticism to Ecopedagogy,” Greta Gaard proposes the use of children’s literature as a medium for fostering environmental awareness and guiding effective ecopedagogy. She outlines six key principles to structure this practice: (1) Praxis calls for coherence between theory and practice by promoting sustainable behaviors and experiential learning that engage students in real‑world environmental action; (2) Teaching about the social and natural environment involves presenting current ecological issues, examining their causes, and exploring individual and collective solutions; (3) Teaching in the environment emphasizes direct contact with natural places and diverse viewpoints—human and nonhuman—to develop empathy and a sense of interconnection; (4) Teaching through the social and natural environment uses class projects, service learning, and experiential activities to turn knowledge into action for social and environmental justice and sustainability; (5) Teaching the connections of sustainability highlights the interdependence of all life forms and exposes hierarchical divisions between humans and nature as socially constructed; (6) Urgency, finally, underscores the need to move from awareness to immediate action, positioning ecopedagogy as an activist, community‑oriented practice dedicated to sustaining all life on Earth.

©2025 ClimateLit (Alison Han)

Subtopics: Ecojustice Pedagogy

1 of 1 items found.

Sort by
Ship Breaker

by Paolo Bacigalupi

“The wreckage of the twin dead cities was good evidence of just how slow the people of the Accelerated Age had been to accept their changing circumstances”

Learn More