The Journal of The Korean Association of Geographic and Environmental Education ISSN:1226-511X(Print) 2586-5641(Online) 한국지리환경교육학회지

The instructional theme “A Sustainable Global Village,” the 3^rd theme of the 2^nd unit of the Social Studies 6-2 textbook, is fraught with problems in relation to the climate changes education. Global environmental issues are presented in relation to the climate changes; their relationship, however, is not tight or solid enough. Origins and effects of environmental problems, and responses to them, for one thing, are not discussed in the context of climate changes, though environmental problems are largely due to those changes. In addition, the complexity, inclusiveness, and reciprocity of the global environmental problems are not dealt with in relation to the climate changes. This is evidenced by the absence of achievement standards directly related to the climate changes, and thus by the absence of learning objectives concerning those changes. “A sustainable global village,” therefore, could in practice be approached from the perspective of mere environmental changes, rather than from the larger perspective of the climate changes. The danger of climate changes, the urgency of climate change education, and the importance of climate changes for a sustainable global community may be overlooked at our own peril.