Introduction: Sustainability Education for Children and Young People: Educating for the Environmental Crisis

As these words are being written, it’s a dull day in England and through the window, the leaves can be seen, changing from shades of green to red, orange, brown and gold. The sky is grey and the air misty. It’s mild but cold enough to warrant an extra layer, a reminder that summer has transitioned to autumn, as it has for millennia. It is reassuring for those of us who live here and now to experience the continuing cycle of the environment upon which all life depends. At this time, world leaders are meeting for the COP16 UN biodiversity conference in Columbia. The conference is billed as a united attempt to halt the destruction of the planet. They are discussing plans which include protecting 30% of the planet for nature by 2030. This was one of a range of targets agreed at COP15 in 2022 by almost every country in the world. This suggests that although climate change and biodiversity loss are major concerns, we can be assured that our political leaders are attending to what needs to be done on our behalf. However, more than 80% of countries failed to submit plans to meet the agreement reached at COP 15 (IPBES, 2024). This is no time for complacency. Shue (2022, p. 5) states that:

Failure to act urgently now is a dire threat to future generations. If delay now allows the passing of physical or social tipping points…we miss our unparalleled but fleeting opportunity to make life better for our grandchildren and instead inflict a legacy of danger.