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Den här boken ger förskolans personal kunskap och inspiration att komma i gång med eller vidareutveckla utbildning och undervisning för hållbarhet.

Författarna visar hur personalen kan stödja barns nyfikenhet och fördjupa förståelse för hållbarhet, även i mötet med stora frågor och dilemman. Med ett lyhört och medskapande förhållningssätt kan personalen både bekräfta och utmana barnens tankar, vilket stärker deras handlingskompetens inför en föränderlig värld.

Barns lärande om hållbarhet består av tre delar. Första delen tar upp olika sätt att förstå och närma sig hållbar utveckling. Andra delen fokuserar på kommunikation och barns lärande och deras rätt till delaktighet och inflytande, samt på personalens kunskap och kommunikation för att förstå barnens perspektiv. Tredje delen behandlar hållbart ledarskap och rektorns betydelse, inklusive alla aspekter av en hållbar förskola.

Boken riktar sig i första hand till förskolans personal men förskollärarstudenter har också god behållning av att läsa den. Den bygger på insikter från ett forsknings- och utvecklingsprogram, Hållbar förskola, som letts av Ifous.

Det övergripande syftet med denna studie var att utveckla kunskap om vilket innehåll kopplat till hållbarhet som framträder när förskollärare och barn tillsammans läser och samtalar om en bok. Studien har genomförts inom ramen för Ifous forsknings-och utvecklingsprogram Hållbar förskola. Inom programmet ges förskollärarna uppgifter som syftar till att vidareutveckla deras kunskap om lärande för hållbarhet och kompetens i att utveckla arbetssätt för barns lärande om hållbarhet. De analyserade texterna i denna studie omfattar 151 inspelade och transkriberade boksamtal mellan förskollärare och barn i förskolan. I resultatet framträder tre olika innehåll som kommuniceras i boksamtalen kopplat till hållbarhet, dessa är: 1) relationer mellan människor, 2) relationer mellan människa och natur och 3) relationer mellan människa och samhälle. Resultaten visar att boksamtal kan ge stöd för barn att utveckla både sitt språk och sitt kunnande om hållbarhet. Studien bidrar därmed till forskningen om hur litteratur kan användas i förskolans undervisning.

The overall aim of this study was to develop knowledge about which content linked to sustainability is communicated when preschool teachers and children read and talk about a book together. The study takes place within the Ifous research and development program Sustainable preschools. Here, participants are given tasks to further develop their knowledge of learning for sustainability and working methods for children's learning about sustainability. The analyzed texts in this study include 151 recorded and transcribed book talks between preschool teachers and children in preschool. The result highlights three different contents linked to sustainability. These are: 1) relationships between people, 2) relationships between people and nature, and 3) relationships between people and society. The results show that book talks may support children in developing both their language and their knowledge of sustainability. The study thus contributes to research on how literature can be used in preschool teaching.

In this book, the chapter authors have shared diverse national perspectives on contemporary ECEfS policy, research and practice from all continents across the world. We recognise that sustainability is conceptualised in different ways across historical, social and cultural contexts and this is strongly evident throughout. In these chapters, the authors have demonstrated a willingness to work collaboratively to enact global sustainability aspirations, while addressing climate injustices and the challenges of systemic ECEfS implementation. Some draw on international frameworks, such as the SDGs, to guide national policy and action. We invite readers to listen, respect and reflect on the varied understandings and insights offered here. Lastly, in reflecting on these chapters, as editors we have identified traces of commonalties and divergences across policy, teacher knowledge, pedagogy and research. We highlight these as potentially informative for readers of this book, particularly those who may choose to read only some selected chapters. 

This international collection of case study chapters addresses early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) across diverse national contexts. The book offers critical reflections about what has been achieved to promote ECEfS through policy, research and practice; what might be the lessons learnt for sharing; and, what is yet to be achieved. In pragmatic terms, each national case study incorporates policy, research and practice, alongside illustrative initiatives, stories and images to engage readers. The work provides a systematic understanding of the global ECEfS field and facilitates identification of commonalities, divergences and issues for further analysis and synthesis. The reader is offered a broad text stance incorporating a comparative ECEfS knowledge base and transformative strategies for envisioning sustainable futures with young children. In particular, strategies towards a creative, courageous and radical education that prioritises ethical relationalities with the Earth and sustainable futures for both the human and the non-human species. This is a timely collection in a world where young children are born into climate crises, economic uncertainties and political instabilities alongside their fundamental rights being eroded. Sustainability is conceptualised worldwide in different ways historically, socially and culturally and this is celebrated by the contributing authors throughout the text. Many voices are shared from those working towards global sustainability in early childhood education.

As the planet’s community stumbles across systemic tipping points, global temperature thresholds (Steffen et al., 2018) and planetary boundaries (Richardson et al., 2023), we wonder what the future holds for young children. There is a perception that successive global events such as wildfires, floods and pandemics are creating a polycrisis; or, a cascade of shocks with unanticipated and interdependent consequences for all (UNICEF, 2023). How the planetary community responds to this polycrisis will echo down the generations, but most significantly impact the young children we teach today. Notably, the World Health Organization (2017) has previously argued that climate change is ‘one of the greatest new threats to children’s environmental health’ (p. xii). Unfortunately, it is no longer new and the threats are exacerbated with each mitigation delay. In addition, health authorities including the Lancet (Clark et al., 2020) are increasingly recognising the intersection between children’s health during early developmental stages and the impacts of climate events. To dwell on such matters may evoke feelings of solastalgia and eco-anxiety and these are increasingly reported (Baker et al., 2020; Sanson et al., 2019). 

The purpose of this study, within the Research and Development programme Sustainable Preschool, was to developknowledge about early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) in Sweden, more specifically around preschoolheadmasters’ and preschool teachers’ leadership. This research builds on previous research on ECEfS (Davis, 2009,2014) and it answers to the need for more research about leadership in early childhood education for sustainability(Davis et al., 2024). It is positioned within a critical and transformative theoretical perspective (Jickling & Sterling,2017) that promotes critical transformative ECEfS pedagogies and theoretical perspectives on leadership (Davis etal., 2024). This study presents the findings from nineteenth interviews with preschool headmasters and preschoolteachers about aspects of leadership in ECEfS. The participants received information about the aim, method, andprocess, and consent and was collected from all participants. Ethical guidelines from the Swedish Research Council(2024) and EECERA Ethical Code (2024) were considered during the research design and process. The findings show awide range of aspects regarding leadership in education for sustainability within the headmasters’ and teachers’descriptions. Important aspects for a sustainable leadership was: a shared vision for sustainable futures; effective co-ordination; democratic decision-making and communication strategies; critical transformative ECEfS pedagogies, andinvolvement of all stakeholders (headmaster, staff, children and their parents). This study has implication for bothpractice and policy. The program has contribute to new knowledge for the participants and the practices, aschanging everyday policies as they critically discussed and handled sustainability within the programme.

Swedish preschool children have historically been seen as playing an important role in the quest for a better society and the development of a sustainable future. In the Swedish National Curriculum for Preschool, the political concept of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) has been added in 2019. It is stated that sustainable development is a fundamental value that everyone who works in a preschool shall strive to promote. More specifically, the children in Swedish preschools should be given opportunities to develop an increased sense of responsibility for and interest in sustainable development, learn to be active participants in society, understand how people, nature and society affect each other, and understand how the different choices that people make in everyday life can contribute to sustainable development. In this chapter, we firstly offer a brief overview about contemporary research on early childhood education for Sustainability (ECEfS) and children’s participation in EfS. Secondly, we describe ECE and ECEfS in our national Swedish context. Thirdly, we present some current research initiatives and examples from Swedish ECEfS practice. Finally, we discuss the challenges and further potential for ECEfS in Sweden.