Environmental Education in the Hearths of the Capital: a critique of the neoliberal agenda

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the relationship between neoliberalism and environmental education. Since the 1970s, the neoliberal agenda has modified economic, political, cultural, social, and educational structures in the countries that adopted it. Environmental education was not left out of these changes, becoming, in many cases, a tool that instrumentalizes nature and simplifies environmental problems. The theoretical-methodological perspective used in this text is based on sociological and historical analyses of neoliberalism, the crises of capitalism, and aspects of critical environmental education. The results presented revolve around the discussion on citizenship and political practices, in addition to the need for incisive decisions on environmental problems.