Environmental Education as a Cross-Cutting Axis for the Construction of a Culture of Sustainability

Abstract

Global processes of environmental transformation, reflected in the degradation of ecosystems, the decline in biological diversity and the increasing impacts associated with climate change, have revealed the limitations of prevailing development models and the need to reorient educational processes towards more balanced relationships between society and nature. Within the educational sphere, environmental education has evolved from conservation-focused approaches towards integrative perspectives that articulate ecological, social, economic and cultural dimensions, enabling it to be conceived as a cross-cutting axis of the curriculum aimed at holistic education and the construction of a culture of sustainability. The study was conducted through a descriptive-analytical documentary design, based on the review, organisation and critical interpretation of academic production related to environmental education, its cross-curricular approach and its relationship with sustainability. The process of identifying, selecting and evaluating sources was carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the PRISMA protocol, ensuring methodological rigour and transparency. The findings showed that environmental education was consistently addressed as a strategic component of educational processes, highlighting its capacity to integrate knowledge, values, attitudes and competencies oriented towards socio-environmental responsibility, as well as to strengthen the formation of citizenship committed to sustainability.