The resilience approach is rooted in ecology and is being advanced as a means to understand change in social-ecological systems. How can resilience be applied to understanding change in social systems, including in environmental education? In probing this question the main resilience approaches are described, the manner in which they may be applied to social systems are explored, and the implications of emerging issues are reflected upon. Applying resilience to environmental education requires concerted forethought and care. It also offers several opportunities for mutual enrichment to resilience and environmental education researchers. (Contains 3 figures.)