The Department for Education and Skills has been criticised by MPs for failing to promote environmental conservation in schools.

MPs on the Commons environmental audit committee said on Thursday that the government is not doing enough to encourage sustainable development.

In their latest report an EAC sub-committee argued that key environmental targets will not be met for as long as the public "remains largely unengaged and unimpressed with the whole sustainable development agenda".

"Everyone needs to play their part to make sustainable development a reality whether at school, work or home," the report said.

"This requires an understanding of which everyday practices need to change to live more sustainably and the potential impacts of these changes."

The committee put particular emphasis on the role of the DfES in promoting an education system which fosters an interest in conservation.

Joan Walley, who chaired the sub-committee, said the issue highlighted problems in the concept of joined-up government.

"Education can be a significant driver for change but the DfES has been slow to grasp its key role in underpinning the government's sustainable development strategy and ensuring that education for sustainable development is integrated into life long learning," she said.

"We are not talking about a radical overhaul of educational practice, just ensuring that we are equipping ourselves to better understand and engage with the challenges of the 21st century.

"We need engineers that understand the requirements of our international climate change commitments, business school graduates who understand corporate social responsibility and citizens that understand how their individual actions can make a difference."

"The secretary of state is currently considering a number of education and skills reforms which add up to a significant opportunity to integrate education for sustainable development at every stage of lifelong learning," she added.

And Liberal Democrat sub-committee member Sue Doughty said it was "difficult to understand why the government has not put more effort into ensuring that schools give children the information they need on the environment".

"We are working to save the planet for our children - they need to know why," she said.