Page 298 - DEDU501_DEVELOPMENT_OF_EDUCATION_SYSTEM_ENGLISH

Development of Education System Dinesh Kumar, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 31: Environmental Education: Concept and Need

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
31.1 Concept of Environmental Education in India
31.2 Need for Environmental Education
31.3 Principles of Environmental Education
31.4 Summary
31.5 Keywords
31.6 Review Questions
31.7 Further Readings

Objectives

The objectives of this unit can be summarized as below:
• to discuss about concept of Environment education.
• to discribe the need for environmental education
• discuss the principles of environmental education
Introduction

Our nation's future relies on a well-educated public to be wise stewards of the very environment
that sustains us, our families and communities, and future generations. It is environmental education
which can best help us as individuals make the complex, conceptual connections between economic
prosperity, benefits to society, environmental health, and our own well being. Ultimately, the
collective wisdom of our citizens, gained through education, will be the most compelling and
most successful strategy for environmental education.
31.1 Concept of Environmental Education in India

The Indian Constitution laid down the responsibility of Government to protect and improve the
environment and made it a "fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife". On this background Department of
Environment was established by the Government of India in 1980 and a Ministry was formed in
1985. The Constitution and the Government's commitment to the environment along with the
environmentally sound practices is an important backdrop under which the Environment Education
(EE) strategy has been evolved.
31.1.1 Meaning and Definition of Environmental Education
The term ‘Environmental Education’ has been discussed in various national and international
seminars who tried to define it. Some of the definitions have been provided here to understand
the concept.
“Environmental education is the process of recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to
develop skills and attitude necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness among
man, his culture and his bio-physical surroundings. It also entails practice in decision making and
self formation of a code of behaviour about problems and issues concerning environmental quality”
UNESCO (1970) Working Committee

292 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY