Drawing from both kaupapa Maori and Western perspectives, this study has focused on global issues of ecological sustainability in a variety of local/national early childhood education contexts. It has aimed to contribute to an emerging body of research which illuminates, documents and integrates possibilities for early childhood education pedagogies that reflect and enact an ethic of care, both from kaupapa Maori (Ka'ai, Moorfield, Reilly, & Mosley, 2004; Mead, 2003; Ritchie, 1992) and Western theoretical perspectives (Braidotti, 2002; Dahlberg & Moss, 2005; Foucault, 1997; Gilligan, 1982; Goldstein, 1998; Noddings, 1994, 1995). We considered this emphasis on ecological sustainability as a teaching and learning issue (Gruenewald, 2003), philosophically grounded in an ethic of care with a particular focus on respect for Papatuanuku, to be incredibly timely in light of discussions on climate change and globalisation (Bosselmann, 1995; Mies, 1999; Plumwood, 1993; Shiva, 1997; Smith, 2001). (author abstract)