Sustainable development and its connection to teaching geoethics

Abstract

The decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) ended in January 2015 but to some extent this subject remains unknown to many Portuguese citizens. Geoethics has strong links to the three pillars of Sustainable Development (environmental, economic and social) and is evolving rapidly, but the public understanding of its relationship to Sustainable Development is rather poor and the subject is even neglected in Portuguese classrooms.The environmental pillar was undoubtedly the ESD component that has been more widely implemented in Portuguese school classrooms. Nonetheless, the economic and social pillars of ESD require further thought and concern. Indeed, experts in the field found several difficulties in their attempt to integrate ESD into academic programs. For the purpose of analysing the links between knowledge related to ESD and Geoethics Teaching, an interview-based survey was undertaken with 187 Portuguese citizens. As the results showed a very low knowledge of ESD but a possible linkage with Geoethics Teaching, eight interviews were conducted with basic and secondary science teachers. The purpose of this study is to highlight the possibility of teaching Geoethics throughout the Geoscience Curriculum. Otherwise, the valuable contribution that Geoethics has to offer to Sustainable Development may be lost.