Nature Pedagogics – Making the Green Deal Real by Starting Young

About the workshop

The workshop was organised on the 2^nd of June 2022 as an official partner event of the EU Green Week. It explored how the three Nordic cities of Lahti (Finland), Aalborg (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden) use nature pedagogy to foster a better relationship between humans and nature from a young age.

Cross-sectoral action required

The EU is working to deliver the transformational changes needed to meet the environmental challenges our society faces. This ambition is exemplified through the European Green Deal and the target for the EU to be climate-neutral by 2050. This is work that must be cross-sectoral as the issue itself transcends sector. It is not enough to simply consider energy, environment, and climate during the process, but to engage other policy areas as well, such as education, skills and training. As such, the EU has issues policy guidance to support Member States which recommend that sustainability be embedded in national education and training systems.

Children in focus

2022 was declared the Year of Youth by the European Commission, while the theme for the EU Green Week 2022 was Making the Green Deal Real. This overlap created an opportune moment to highlight the role that education and children play in the climate transition. A synergy increasingly highlighted in European policy, as seen in the current EU Biodiversity Strategy; the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan; and the EU Action Plan for Circular Economy. With increased policy attention, the interest in nature pedagogy as a method is also increasing. This workshop was created to exchange examples of best practices from frontrunner cities with other interested partners in the field of sustainability education.