In Argentina, the national education laws 26,206 and the general environmental law 25,675 already recognize the right to environmental education. And although many provinces and municipalities have advanced with their own legislation and programs on the matter, our country does not have a law that provides tools for an articulated implementation throughout the country.

“This law is the foundation stone of the national paradigm shift that we need. We must evolve towards a sustainable Argentina ”, affirmed Máximo Mazzocco, founder of Eco House Global, an organization that promoted this law and that has already educated more than 70,000 students on the subject.

“We urgently need a national, nonpartisan, participatory and constant educational strategy to advance in the matter. Today, in the midst of the socio-environmental crisis, civil society organizations have the enormous responsibility of promoting environmental education in the country, with very few resources and thousands of deficiencies. It is time for the State to fulfill its duty ”, added the referent.

Despite the fact that many jurisdictions have made progress in their own regulations and programs related to the matter, their development is uneven, which means that a large part of the country’s population still does not have the opportunity to train. From the environmental sector they explain that this ignorance translates into the worsening of the climatic and ecological crisis. “This law will allow us to include environmental content at all educational levels, which will build a critical and environmentally conscious citizenry, guaranteeing a better present and future,” said Juan Cabandié, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation.

The objective of the bill is to ensure a minimum level of activities and content throughout the national territory. In turn, it is expected that having a law of these characteristics will facilitate the consensus of federal content for all levels of the educational system.

During 2020, various bills were presented by representatives of the different political forces, including the Ministries of Education and Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation. However, the project presented by the Executive Power in October 2020 was the one that advanced when approved by the Education, Natural Resources and Environment and Budget commissions of the Chamber of Deputies.

“We need the Senate to treat it quickly and to regulate it as soon as possible. Generating legislation and policies in pursuit of caring for the environment without educating is nonsense. We have the challenge that all Argentines assume their responsibility to the environment. Can’t wait any longer. We are playing in injury time. This has to be one of the main State policies of the 21st century ”, said Gisela Scaglia, national deputy of Together for Change and author of one of the bills presented.

Socio-environmental organizations throughout the country, educators, formal and non-formal education institutions, students, influencers and other sectors of civil society are carrying out a campaign to promote the sanction of this law with the hashtag #LeyDeEducacionAmbientalYA. In addition, they put together a petition on the change.org platform that already has more than 55,000 signatures.

Source: La Nacion