Agenda 21 and the ecological footprint as instruments to achieve a sustainable university

Abstract

In order to stop the quick environmental deterioration of the planet, University has to prepare the new generations following a model of integral sustainability (synchronic and diachronic solidarity) and it also has to contribute to a change in lifestyles, in knowledge and behaviours in our society. There is a need for a new theoretical-methodological frame under the paradigm of sustainability to base educational proposals on it and to concretize them. Taking into consideration the principles of Sustainable Development and using the tools of «Agenda 21 in the University» and Ecological Footprint, we have developed and applied a methodological strategy (ecomethodology) to enable ours students (future teachers) to act, collectively and individually, according to the criteria of sustainability.

Keywords

• agenda 21
• ecological footprint
• higher education
• «ecomethodology»
• sustainability