Environmental education


Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization states that EE is vital in imparting an inherent respect for nature among society and in enhancing public environmental awareness. UNESCO emphasises the role of EE in safeguarding future global developments of societal quality of life, through the protection of the environment, eradication of poverty, minimization of inequalities and insurance of sustainable development.
The term often implies education within the school system, from primary to post-secondary. However, it sometimes includes all efforts to educate the public and other audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc. There are also ways that environmental education is taught outside the traditional classroom: aquariums, zoos, parks, and nature centers all have ways of teaching the public about the environment.

UNESCO and environmental awareness and education

's involvement in environmental awareness and education goes back to the very beginnings of the Organization, with the creation in 1948 of the IUCN, the first major non-governmental organization mandated to help preserve the natural environment. UNESCO was also closely involved in convening the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972, which led to the setting up of the United Nations Environment Programme. Subsequently, for two decades, UNESCO and UNEP led the International Environmental Education Programme, which set out a vision for, and gave practical guidance on how to mobilize education for environmental awareness.
In 1976, UNESCO launched an environmental education newsletter 'Connect' as the official organ of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programme. It served as a clearinghouse to exchange information on Environmental Education in general and to promote the aims and activities of the IEEP in particular, as well as being a network for institutions and individuals interested and active in environment education until 2007.
The long-standing cooperation between UNESCO and UNEP on environmental education also led to the co-organization of four major international conferences on environmental education since 1977: the First Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education in Tbilisi, Georgia ; the Conference "International Strategy for Action in the Field of Environmental Education and Training for the 1990s" in Moscow, Russian Federation ; the third International Conference "Environment and Society: Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability" at Thessaloniki, Greece ; and the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Education towards a Sustainable Future in Ahmedabad, India. These meetings highlighted the pivotal role education plays in sustainable development.
It was at the Tbilisi conference in 1977 that the essential role of 'education in environmental matters' was fully explored. Organized by UNESCO in cooperation with UNEP, this was the world's first intergovernmental conference on environmental education. In the subsequent Tbilisi Declaration, environment was interpreted in its 'totality—natural and built, technological and social '. The goals formulated for environmental education went far beyond ecology in the curriculum and included development of a 'clear awareness of, and concern about, economic, social, political, and ecological interdependence in urban and rural areas' which became one of the major bases of ESD.

Focus

Environmental education has multiple approaches that are based primarily on the benefits it brings to our society. One of the most important things to keep in mind when thinking about environmental education is communication. For there to be effective education, environmental information must be transmitted equally to citizens of all demographic groups. Critical, ethical and creative thinking must be developed in individuals when evaluating environmental issues. The development of skills and commitment to act independently and collaboratively in conjunction with society to address an environmental problem. Environmental education also has a broader approach which is that individuals are able to appreciate our surroundings and all the natural resources we have in order to develop positive environmental behavior that leads to change.

Attributes

There are a few central qualities involved in environmental education that are useful contributions for each individual. Through environmental education, real-world problem solving is enhanced, physical activity and dietary quality are strengthened, and communication and leadership are improved when working in groups.

Careers

There are various different career paths one could delve into within environmental education. Many of these careers require discovering and planning how to resolve environmental issues occurring in today's world. The specific responsibilities associated with each career will depend in part on their physical location, taking into account what environmental issue is most prevalent in the area. A general outlook of some careers in this field are:
  • Federal Government Park Ranger- Responsible for protecting the national parks, historical sites, and national seashores across the United States including the wildlife and ecosystems within them. There are many qualifications in order for one to become a park ranger and some include: obtaining a bachelor's degree and a passing grade in the PEB. Some focuses within this field include: enforcing park rules, giving tours to groups for educational purposes, and protecting parks from forest fires.
  • Outdoor Education Teacher- Teach students by using outdoor field and classroom work. Some invite guest speakers who are experts in their field to help teach how the basic principles of science are implemented in the real world. Some requirements for this career include becoming CPR certified and having a bachelor's degree in either environmental science or a field related to it. It can be a problematic field as there is no concurrence on the central concepts that are taught as well as teachers do not agree on what constitutes an important environmental issue.
  • Environmental Scientist- Use of field work to research contamination in nature when writing plans in creating projects for environmental research. Environmental Scientists research topics such as air pollution, water quality, and wildlife. They also study how human health is affected by changes in the environment. Some requirements for this career are a bachelor's degree with a double major in environmental science and either biology, physics or chemistry.
  • Environmental Engineer- Involves the combination of biology/chemistry with engineering to generate ways to ensure the health of the planet. Scientific research is analyzed and projects are designed as a result of that research in order to come up with solutions to issues of the environment like air pollution. A bachelor's degree in civil engineering or general engineering is required as well as some experience in this field.

    Related fields

Environmental education has crossover with multiple other disciplines. These fields of education complement environmental education yet have unique philosophies.
  • Citizen Science aims to address both scientific and environmental outcomes through enlisting the public in the collection of data, through relatively simple protocols, generally from local habitats over long periods of time.
  • Education for Sustainable Development aims to reorient education to empower individuals to make informed decisions for environmental integrity, social justice, and economic viability for both present and future generations, whilst respecting cultural diversities.
  • Climate Change Education aims in enhancing the public's understanding of climate change, its consequences, and its problems, and to prepare current and future generations to limit the magnitude of climate change and to respond to its challenges. Specifically, CCE needs to help learners develop knowledge, skills and values and action to engage and learn about the causes, impact and management of climate change.
  • Science Education focuses primarily on teaching knowledge and skills, to develop innovative thought in society.
  • Outdoor Education relies on the assumption that learning experiences outdoors in 'nature' foster an appreciation of nature, resulting in pro-environmental awareness and action. Outdoor education means learning "in" and "for" the outdoors.
  • Experiential education is a process through which a learner constructs knowledge, skill, and value from direct experiences" Experiential education can be viewed as both a process and method to deliver the ideas and skills associated with environmental education.
  • Garden-based learning is an instructional strategy that utilizes the garden as a teaching tool. It encompasses programs, activities and projects in which the garden is the foundation for integrated learning, in and across disciplines, through active, engaging, real-world experiences that have personal meaning for children, youth, adults and communities in an informal outside learning setting.
  • Inquiry-based Science is an active open style of teaching in which students follow scientific steps in a similar manner as scientists to study some problem. Often used in biological and environmental settings.
While each of these educational fields has their own objectives, there are points where they overlap with the intentions and philosophy of environmental education.