Journal article
Can We Teach the Earth Charter Anymore? A Critical Examination of the Earth Charter's Role in Education
Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, Vol.23(3), pp.31-53
07/08/2020
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Abstract
The Earth Charter has become a dated guiding document for the field of environmental education. When the document debuted in 2000 as the global "framework to guide the transition to a sustainable future" (Earth Charter Initiative, n.d.-a, para. 2), the writers promoted it as a solution to environmental problems that incorporated voices of a wide spectrum of diverse communities from across the globe. The Earth Charter is a broad and ambitious document, designed to encourage action at local, national, and international levels (Earth Charter Initiative, 2009). Using critical discourse analysis methodology and social justice lenses, this paper examines the value of the Earth Charter as an educational tool as we enter the Anthropocene, a new geologic period in which our species is the largest force influencing and changing the planet (Olvitt, 2017). We argue that the Earth Charter reinforces dominant oppressive myths of sustainable development and excludes concerns voiced by marginalized populations. In perpetuating problematic narratives, we question the Earth Charter in its current form as a relevant and useful framework for informing environmental education 20 years after its publication. We suggest a method for updating the Earth Charter with social justice framing, using democratic, co-creative tools that are accessible to communities around the world, in their own languages.
Details
- Title
- Can We Teach the Earth Charter Anymore? A Critical Examination of the Earth Charter's Role in Education
- Creators
- Nicholas R.G. Stanger - Western Washington UniversityNick Engelfried - Reconnect EarthSarah Clement - Western Washington UniversityAsh Kunz - Western Washington UniversityRachael Grasso - Western Washington UniversityE. Smokey Brine - Western Washington University
- Publication Details
- Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, Vol.23(3), pp.31-53
- Publisher
- Lakehead University
- Identifiers
- 991013133013802368
- Copyright
- The Canadian Journal of Environmental Education retains the copyright for published articles.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Education
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article