The economic and environmental crises that face humanity today require an educational response. This article accepts the proposition that education may play a part in preparing human beings to survive impacts of human-induced climate change for example. However, education, according to some conceptualizations, is also in crisis. It therefore appears far from clear what a "curriculum of survival" consists of. This article adopts a sceptical viewpoint on education for sustainability. Rather than be concerned with ever tighter definitions of what this may mean, or prescriptions of more effective practices, it turns its gaze towards what is there already--the imperfect but long-standing idea and disciplinary enquiry called geography. Geography as the "world subject" is of great salience. It is about human occupation of the planet and has always ultimately been concerned with survival. This article explores the two ideas of geography and education, and appeals for a re-assessment of the role of the "traditional" disciplines, especially geography, in a curriculum of survival. (Contains 5 notes.)