The evolution of the concept of environmental education in North America and Europe.

Abstract

The main thesis of this paper is that there should be room for diversity in conceptualisations of environmental education to allow for each school and community to give its own meaning to the concept, but at the same time there should be a core or essence of environmental education which justifies labelling education 'environmental' and justifies combining environmental with 'education'. The paper goes on to discuss some roots, meanings and new directions of environmental education, and ends with some common challenges.