Next Steps

We are living in times of irreversible change.

All over the world people are impacting on their surroundings. Recognising the impact of human activity is the first step in coming to terms with environmental change. However, the complexity of the issues and the social, political and psychological questions which they raise, make this a demanding process.

It is easy to enter a state of denial when faced by challenges that appear overwhelming. It is also tempting to try to defend familiar ways of living, particularly if the alternatives involve making sacrifices or compromises. Many people simply do not want to get involved. Yet adapting our behaviour and building our resilience offer the best hope for the future. If we make wise choices today we will reap the benefits in years to come (Figure 1).

Figure 1 What we do makes a difference – even if we can’t change the world individually.

All disciplines and educational domains can contribute to developing new thinking and ideas that acknowledge current realities. Courses programmes and modules can be modified at both school and university level to explore environmental and social responsibility. There is also huge scope for activities beyond the confines of formal education.

Students who are following courses of higher education today, are the leaders of tomorrow.  Ensuring that graduates are sustainability literate is recognised as a priority, not least by students themselves. The United Nations has called for a re-orientation of both the curriculum and teacher education in order to embrace the sustainability agenda. Such changes are a matter of priority given what we know about the sustainability and the state of the planet at the current moment.  

Give us some feedback about this site

CONTACT US

For more information please email sustainability@canterbury.ac.uk