India, Sept. 12 -- When we talk about India's future, we usually talk about technology, infrastructure, jobs and economic growth. But there is another question we need to ask: What kind of future are we preparing our children to live in?

A child entering school today will grow up in a country where heatwaves, water shortages, air pollution, extreme weather and waste are no longer distant environmental stories. They will shape where we live, what we eat, how we travel, what jobs we do and even how healthy our families are.

That makes environmental education far more relevant than another subject in school. It is an education for life. Think about a simple question a child asks: Why should I switch off the fan when I leave the room? Why s...