ABSTRACT
Children of the 1990s have entered the world at a point in history when many nations are radically reassessing their use of natural resources and the role of citizens in managing the environment. At the same time almost all countries of the world have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), leading them to rethink the extent to which children have the right and responsibility to be involved in shaping their own futures and the futures of their communities. 1 I have written this book in the belief that the most sound approach to development lies in the establishment of a citizenry that understands, and cares about, the management of the environment and which can operate in a highly participatory manner in democratic communities. Children's environmental education needs to be brought into line with the principles and practices of local community participation in all countries and with all communities.
