8 de diciembre

“It´s all the grownups fault.”

In the light of the serious problems of environmental sustainability and social degradation, ecologists, sociologists, psychologists and doctors are calling for urgent changes to make our cities habitable again. When working with children, it is surprising to discover that the city that they ask for and need is very similar to the city that experts on the subject describe”, Francesco Tonucci, Director of the International Project of the Italian National Research Council Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies and one of the authors of the latest edition of magazine «Education and Sustainability».

Who better than children to design the drastic changes that have to be made in the city? Who wouldn’t want safe streets, accessible public transport, green areas and open spaces? This issue focuses on a variety of ways that young people can help transform their cities, such as children’s city councils, eco-safaris, green guerrillas and urban biodiversity mapping.

We also reflect on the role of education for the poorest cities in the world, where urbanisation is accelerating. Now that over 50% of the worlds' population live in cities, can we afford to let our architects, engineers and entrepreneurs escape these new urban realities? And what about the rising trend in eco-cities, do our politicians and publicists know how to distil the genuine from the greenwash?

Education and Sustainability is targeted at educators of all levels, offering reflections, teaching resources and networking opportunities to help integrate sustainability issues into learning activities. It is published by RCE Barcelona, one of the 70 Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development recognised by the University of the United Nations to promote the Decade in Education for Sustainability, and available in English, Spanish and Catalan.
>> Contact: es@rce-barcelona.net