Beyond Planetary Boundary Thinking

Reimagining Environmental Education through Solar Ethics

Bibliographic Data

ID17660645
AuthorsLesley Le Grange (0000-0002-7096-3609, Stellenbosch University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-11
Publication date2026-04-29
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAustralian Journal of Environmental Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0814-0626 • E-ISSN: 2049-775X
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/aee.2026.10168
OpenAlexW7159648514
LanguageEN
References cited16

Human activity has driven planet Earth to the brink of ecological collapse, prompting discourses such as planetary boundary (PB) thinking that seek to define thresholds for sustainable living. While PB provides a powerful framework for policy and risk analysis, it is limited by its earth-centric and anthropocentric orientation, technocratic rigidity and tendency to induce eco-anxiety. Moreover, its alignment with global development agendas risks sidelining justice, creativity and Indigenous Knowledge. This article critiques PB thinking and explores an alternative orientation: solar ethics. Drawing on Don Cupitt’s (1995) metaphor of the Sun as a symbol of unconditional giving and Peters and Hung’s (2009) notion of “solar systemism,” solar ethics re-centres the Sun in ecological thought, fostering generosity, humility and cosmic consciousness. It resonates with African philosophies of ubuntu and ukama , which emphasise intra-action and relational becoming, and with Indigenous cosmologies that regard the Sun as a vital relational presence. Solar ethics opens possibilities for education that are life-affirming, imaginative and resistant to neoliberal metrics. Practical applications include curriculum design, outdoor learning, creative expression and community projects. By situating education within solar ethics, this article envisions a transformative pedagogy that nurtures ecological justice, relational flourishing and planetary care in times of systemic crisis

Anthropocentrism · Creativity · Ecological crisis · Environmental education · Environmentalism · Flourishing · Indigenous · Technoscience · Transformative learning · Ecocriticism and Environmental Literature · Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond · Posthumanist Ethics and Activism

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Open DOIOpen Access