The goal of creating an Ecological Civilization has recently been written into the Chinese Constitution. Education for ecological civilization (ECE) has subsequently emerged as a key concept in educational discourse, but the concept remains vague and contested. This paper clarifies the concept by situating ecological civilization historically through ecological snapshots of prior forms of civilization, and mapping the pathway toward its possible emergence from contemporary informational civilization. It concludes by reviewing recent efforts to transform entrenched educational patterns to those embracing strategies for transition to ecological civilization.