THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SHADOW IN THE PEDAGOGYCAL ROMANTICISM IN THE CURRENT GENERATIONS.

Abstract

This article presents a critical-documentary analysis of the historical evolution of environmental education (EE) policies and strategies at global and local levels, with a particular focus on Colombia and the city of Medellín. The study is based on primary and secondary sources, including institutional reports, official statistics, educational implementation cases, scientific literature, and both successful and failed international experiences. The EE has shifted from traditional pedagogical approaches, focused on individual values and simplistic actions, toward critical models that incorporate socio-ecological complexity. This essay examines this historical transition, its structural limitations, and contemporary challenges in a context marked by crises such as climate change, unchecked consumerism, and systemic inequality, with an in-depth analysis of the Colombian case. Traditional approaches, while effective in pre-consumerism and pre-technological socioeconomic contexts, have proven insufficient in addressing current environmental complexity and social dynamics, particularly in scenarios of structural inequality. Methodologically, this study combines qualitative (pedagogical critique) and quantitative (epidemiological and environmental data) analyses, though its comparative scope is limited by its focus on Colombia.