Educare nell’ambiente per costruire cittadinanza attiva

The environmental crisis is now evident and its manifestations are so numerous and powerful (from climate change, to the increasing social and economic instability, from the progressive loss of biodiversity, to the reduction of resources ...) to make unavoidable and urgent the necessity to make a change capable of satisfying the needs of the present generation, without compromising the possibility that future generations will be able to satisfy their own (Brundtland, 1987). Despite the hard evidence, the answers are still too timid. It is increasingly important to involve new generations in a process of awareness about these themes through which they can build their own experience, direct and concrete. What future could have a public educational institution that was not able to develop culture on the most urgent problems of our time? In order to promote change it is therefore necessary (to promote as well) a constant and continuous educational commitment capable of translating into a re-appropriation and knowledge of the environment in which we live. Starting from these premises, an Erasmus Plus project entitled "School Territory Environment and Pedagogy" (STEP) was built and shared with four European and non-European countries. The objective (of the project) is to (create) co-construct a trans-national curriculum on the themes of active citizenship, starting from what can be considered its three founding principles: sustainability education, civil coexistence, and tangible and intangible heritage. In the present contribution, attention will be paid in particular to the dimension of the environment, understood as an opportunity, tool and interlocutor to promote reflections and paths of education to sustainability.