Understanding how nature works: Five pathways towards a more ecologically literate world – A perspective

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AbstractThe sustainability of human life on Earth depends upon the integrity of the relationship between humanity and nature. Natural systems support humanity, and knowledge and understanding of how nature works form the foundation of ecological literacy. It is ecological literacy, and science literacy in general, that underpins our capacity as humans to make well‐informed decisions about how to live in sustainable ways. It is of concern that levels of ecological knowledge and understanding within many contemporary human communities may be too low to enable effective decision‐making in support of sustainable human settlements. Our concern led to an exploration of the concept of ecological literacy and the assessment of a sample of South Australian adults. We found that while ecological literacy can vary significantly in correlation with a range of socio‐demographic and psychographic characteristics, no one factor is necessarily more critical than another. Based on this work, we have identified five pathways for growing eco‐literate communities. While the patterns and drivers of ecological knowledge and understanding naturally vary between cultures and communities, our findings certainly invite serious consideration for a society, and indeed a world, that aspires to cultivate informed citizenry, leadership and governance with capacity for building sustainable human settlements.