Samenvatting

Real sustainable development involves a drastic reduction in environmental ánd social effects compared to our present ways of satisfying our needs. A system approach is asked for, taking into account total chains for resource use and production, paying attention to cultural and socio-economic factors when developing and implementing sustainable solutions.
Education has a key-role. Sustainable development will not start nor succeed if education, on all levels, does not adopt it as an important issue.
The 'CIRRUS-approach' put emphasis on attitude and on a system-approach in selecting and implementing effective solutions, technical and non-technical, next to knowledge of specific technologies and tools required to design and assess such options.
It is found essential that it is made an integral part of any curriculum for all students and not be taught in an isolated specialist subject, chosen only by a few interested students