Environmental Education in legislation: historical analysis, gaps and possible paths

Abstract

Environmental Education (EE) became present in the discussion of sustainability after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, in 1972. In the same period, debates emerged about the consequences that preservation and “excessive concern” about the environment could have on the country's economy. Laws and guidelines were created aiming to spread the ideals of sustainability and proposing the inclusion of EE at all levels of education, however, the legislation does not guarantee its practice and effectiveness. Guided by the principle of EE as a human right, municipal legislation presents itself as an alternative, which guarantees the implementation of policies and local management mechanisms, ensuring effectiveness, which is a continuous and collective right.