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Why We Should Empty Pandora’s Box to Create a Sustainable Future: Hope, Sustainability and Its Implications for Education

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  • Julius Grund

    (Institut Futur, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany)

  • Antje Brock

    (Institut Futur, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

(1) Hope and optimism are strongly connected to physical and psychological health and have been much researched in the field of positive psychology. Research has shown that hope is connected to pro-environmental behavior and plays an important role in ESD. (2) In order to operationalize hope and optimism, in a survey, 2564 young people and 525 teachers in Germany assessed the probability and desirability of predefined future scenarios. (3) Only every fourth respondent is optimistic regarding the global future. The biggest discrepancy between expectation and desirability exists with regard to climate change. Latent class analysis revealed four classes, whereby 50% of the participants are “sustainability-affine but disillusioned”. This half of the sample has great potential to promote a sustainable future: For them, a positive socio-ecological future has by far the highest value. They report the strongest emotions regarding SD and want to take the most responsibility for SD. Surprisingly, they do not disclose more sustainable behavior in comparison to the other classes. (4) The low expectation of positive socio-ecological developments might be a central factor in preventing half of the sample from behaving more sustainable and indicating a strong potential for hope. The implications for Education for Sustainable Development are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Julius Grund & Antje Brock, 2019. "Why We Should Empty Pandora’s Box to Create a Sustainable Future: Hope, Sustainability and Its Implications for Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:893-:d:204478
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Víctor Corral Verdugo, 2012. "The positive psychology of sustainability," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 651-666, October.
    2. Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Niklas Gericke & Daniel Olsson & Teresa Berglund, 2015. "The Effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-25, November.
    3. Niels Winkler & Martin Kroh & Martin Spieß, 2006. "Entwicklung einer deutschen Kurzskala zur zweidimensionalen Messung von sozialer Erwünschtheit," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 579, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesc Bellaubi & Josep Maria Mallarach & Rafael Sardá, 2021. "A Geoethical Approach to Unlock a Social-Ecological Governance Problem: The Case of the Tordera River (Catalonia, Spain)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Julius Grund & Antje Brock, 2020. "Education for Sustainable Development in Germany: Not Just Desired but Also Effective for Transformative Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Michael Eichinger & Myriam Bechtoldt & Inga Thao My Bui & Julius Grund & Jan Keller & Ashley G. Lau & Shuyan Liu & Michael Neuber & Felix Peter & Carina Pohle & Gerhard Reese & Fabian Schäfer & Stepha, 2022. "Evaluating the Public Climate School—A School-Based Programme to Promote Climate Awareness and Action in Students: Protocol of a Cluster-Controlled Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Xiangfei Ma & Inna Gryshova & Iryna Koshkalda & Anastasiia Suska & Rymma Gryshova & Alona Riasnianska & Olga Tupchii, 2022. "Necessity of Post-War Renewal of University Teachers’ Potential in Terms of Sustainable Development in Ukraine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Tammie Ronen & Dorit Kerret, 2020. "Promoting Sustainable Wellbeing: Integrating Positive Psychology and Environmental Sustainability in Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-19, September.
    6. Šárka Křepelková & Jan Činčera & Roman Kroufek, 2019. "Becoming a Global Citizen through Participation in the Global Storylines Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-13, August.
    7. Figen Akça, 2019. "Sustainable Development in Teacher Education in Terms of Being Solution Oriented and Self-Efficacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Pleeging, Emma & van Exel, Job & Burger, Martijn J. & Stavropoulos, Spyridon, 2021. "Hope for the future and willingness to pay for sustainable energy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).

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