The decade of the 80s may be a failure without a decisive effort in environmental education

Summary This paper reviews development in environmental education in the three preceding decades of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. It then sets out the major sets of obstacles which need to be examined. Finally it deals with the 1980s and why this should be the decade of action. Referring to the IUCN World Conservation Strategy it is concerned with speeding up of the awareness of environmental problems in order to beat our race against time.Directeur, Programme Interdisciplinaire du territoire et développement régional, Université Laval. Member of Commission on Education, IUCN.