Environmental Education and Sustainable Development: A Further Appraisal (original) (raw)
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Environmental Education and Sustainable Developmen
Environmental Education and Sustainable Development: A Further Appraisal, 2016
According to UNESCO's recent documents, sustainable development is the “ultimate goal of the Man-environment relationship”; thus, the whole educational process should be “reshaped for sustainable development.” In view of the extreme importance of their educational impact, such statements need to be discussed. To which conception of environment, of education and of sustainable development does the concept of environmental education for sustainable development refer? This article presents theoretical tools that can be used to undertake a critical analysis of these constructs. Finally, the idea of including environmental education in the broader scope of an education for the development of responsible societies is considered.
Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
An environmental crisis has irrupted in modern history, showing the an anti-nature character of economic rationality. At the same time, complex thought has emerged in response to the positivist epistemological project of modern science, with its will to unify knowledge and to render the world homogeneous. This turning point in history has become a time for reflection on the bases of knowledge and to the meaning of life to guide the future development of humanity. The environmental question emerges as a crisis in civilization characterized by three fundamental points of rupture and renovation in relation to the rationality of modernity: a) The limits of growth and the search for sustainability of the economic process, b) The breaking up of knowledge and the emergence of the theory of systems and of the concept of complexity, c) The questioning of the concentration of power in the State and the market, and the emergence of citizen demands for equity, democracy, justice, participation, autonomy and self-determination. These points of rupture have led to questioning of the paradigms of knowledge and the societal models of modernity, and they point up the need to build another social rationality informed by new values and knowledge, by means of production founded on ecological bases and cultural meanings and by new forms of democratic organization (Leff, 1994a). This change in the social paradigm implies a change in the economic, political and cultural order of our times, which is unthinkable without a transformation in the awareness and behaviour of people. That is why education must become a strategic process to form values, skills and capacities to direct the transition towards sustainability.
Importance of Environmental Education to Achievement of Sustainable Development
In recent years there has been a growing consensus that environmental education should be orientated around the idea of " sustainable development ". Sustainable development refers to the conservation, protection and regeneration of resources over an indefinite period of time. Central to sustainability is the idea that today decisions affect the future of human health and well-being, the environment and the economy. The concept of sustainable development was defined in 1987 by the brundtland commission as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. Without environmental sustainability it is impossible to achieve sustainable development. Environmental education should provide experiences ofproblem-solving, decision-making and participation, with considerations based on ecological, political, economic, social, aesthetic and ethical aspects. Pressing global realities demand that we foster through education-the values, behaviour and lifestyles required for a sustainable future. The purpose of this article is to explore the importance of education for the achievement of sustainable development. Keywords : s us ta i na bl e devel opment, envi ronment, envi ronmenta l educa ti on.
Ecological Education as a Function of the International Idea of Sustainable Development
Journal of Education, Technology and Computer Science, 2022
An indispensable element of the social and economic programme aimed at realising the new environmentally friendly era is environmental education. The leading principle of the National Environmental Policy is the principle of sustainable development, implemented through effective educational, informational and promotional activities. They consist in changing the environmental awareness of the society and in shaping proper human attitudes towards nature. The idea of sustainable development is understood as socioeconomic development that takes into account the rights of nature and a dignified life for future generations. The functioning of this global concept is based on reconciling environmental, economic and social rationales. As a global trend, it ensures peace and a decent standard of living for all countries of the world. Education emphasises the need to respect human dignity, to respect diversity, to protect the environment and the resources of our planet.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT Multi-disciplinary, Peer Reviewed Journal, 2018
Abstract: The world is going through a great turmoil. Human existence is threatened by our own species. Environment, Society, Nature everything has become a part of this exploitation. So, the necessity of Environmental Education is essential to maintain our sustainability in life. Environmental Education is a process to aware people about their environment and it explores environmental issues for a better understanding. On the other hand, Sustainable development is a process which meets the needs of present to develop a better and able future generations. The essence of this form of development is a stable relationship between human activities and the natural world, which does not diminish the prospects for future generations to enjoy a quality life. But, at present environmental issues has become an obstacle for sustainable development. Our natural resources are limited. But, for a developed country like India we need more resources for further betterment. So, what to do? On the contrary, There are four objectives of sustainable development: These are: (i) social progress and equality, (ii) environmental protection, (iii) conservation of natural resources and (iv) stable economic growth. So, all that we need is the balance between environment and human need. Environmental education is thus become a way to aware and maintain this equilibrium between human and nature. Keywords: environmental education, sustainable development, Dimensions of ESD
Environmental Education and Sustainable Development [J]
2004
Environmental Education was defined as "a process aimed at developing a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, attitudes, skills, motivation, and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones" (UNESCO/UNEP 1978). Later many definitions were added but the core of what it signifies derives from this initial one. Stapp et al. (1996) stressed on problem solving and the importance of every individual contributing to a more ethical world and assuming responsibility in processes that envision a collective well-being, where respect for life is a priority. Sustainable development derived from the term Sachs (1986) first used: Ecodevelopment. This later became more widely known as sustainable development, a term that defines the use of natural resources in an efficient way, avoiding its destruction and allowing nature to regenerate. The World Commission on Education and Development defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Our Common Future 1987). Many authors have argued that the term is ambivalent and allows a number of contrasting definitions, but its origin was a search a development model that respects nature as a whole.
Environmental Education: The Relevance Discipline for Sustainable Development
2018
Environmental Education is very important in present scenario. Because problem of ecological imbalance and environmental pollution creates problem for human being for survive in this universe. A feeling of environment protection is to be generated in one and all. The NPE 1986 states, “There is a paramount need to create consciousness of the environment. It must permeate all ages and all sections of the society beginning with the child. Environmental consciousness should inform teaching in schools. This aspect will be integrated in the entire educational process.” Environmental Education would benefit from being included in the perspective of education for the development of responsible societies, as inspired by the treaty on environmental education for sustainable societies and global responsibility. The present world is environmentally less sustainable than in the previous days. The progress whatever the rich developed countries have made so far has largely been achieved through th...
Facta Universitatis, Series: Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, 2020
This paper examines the relationship and scope of the convergence of environmentally oriented disciplines (sociology and pedagogy), sub disciplines theoretical approaches (socio-environmental theory and ecological systems theory) which focus on the integration of contemporary society, individual and nature, all with the goal of sustainable development and common prosperity. In the process of globalization, man is largely forced to be flexible and to adapt to the mechanisms of the market economy and to adopt the principles of any type of diversity. The connection between environmental values, knowledge and experiences is the central idea of education for sustainable development. The main paradigm of environmental orientation requires the redefinition of the educational goals, in order to balance the changes to the “identitary” culture and value matrices of general social importance during the sustainable development process. It is clear that by defining the desirable environmental va...
Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development
This article attempts a broad characterization of environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD), and includes a short overview of the history of the field, key debates, the main approaches to ESD and EE, and a look toward the future. However, such a brief account should not be considered to be fully comprehensive, and can only be considered to provide a broad overview of the field from the authors’ perspectives.
Global challenges of education for sustainable development
Edukacja Międzykulturowa, 2022
The awareness of the society that it is responsible for what the nature looks like, as well as for developing human relations, results in the popularization of the idea of sustainable development. The aim of thos study is to present an analysis of the literature on the subject focused on the description of the reality and possible directions of changes in education, considering it as global challenges in three aspects of sustainable development: the economic, ecological and social. The greatest challenge today is to create a multidimensional view of a constantly deepening social and environmental crisis. The change that should be made in education should concern the processes that are aimed at combining the three aspects and at balancing their importance. The essence of education for sustainable development was shown in shaping the values, empathy and awareness that are needed to act for society, as well as the environment and the economy on a global scale