Questioning ecopedagogy: a literature review

In a dynamic and globalized society, educational contexts have to adapt to these changing situations. In this sense, ecopedagogy is a critical pedagogical strategy that stimulates an education that encourages environmental awareness, equity and social justice, fostering the feeling of global community. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), promoted by UNESCO, was developed with this intention as well. However, in a neoliberal context, this aim is transposed into practices that do not delve into the problems posed by ecopedagogy, and therefore, are far from these premises. Based on a systematic review of the literature on eco-pedagogy, this paper aims to analyze how scholars approach this field and how ecopedagogy is readapted to social, economic and environmental needs. The main results show that most of the contributions are theoretical, and many of them are critical of the current educational context. In general terms, the academic field considers it necessary to include important changes in the educational system that include the original principles of ecopedagogy.