Environmental Education: Concepts, History, and Objectives

Evolution of Environmental Education Concepts

1. Tbilisi (1977)

   Results of a reorientation and coordination of various disciplines and educational experiences, providing an environmental perception enabling actions responsive to current needs.

2. Moscow (1987)

   A permanent process where individuals and the community become aware of their environment and acquire knowledge, values, and experience, so that they will be able to act individually and collectively to resolve current and future environmental problems.

3. Roque (2002)

   A continuous and permanent process, integral to education, aimed at building knowledge, developing skills and habits, forming attitudes and values, and fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and nature. This orientation aims to foster social and economic processes towards sustainable cultural development.

4. Roszak (1978)

   The educational process is about living development while protecting the systems that preserve and conserve the planet's life support.

Key Milestones in Global Environmental Affairs

• 1972: Stockholm Conference on the Birth of United Human Environmental Management.
• 1975: Belgrade International Seminar on Environmental Education.
• 1977: Tbilisi Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education.
• 1985: Bogota First Seminar (linked to Moscow University and Internal Environmental Congress).
• 1987: Moscow Congress (d).
• 1992: Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (Agenda 21) focusing on Education and Environmental Training.
• 1992: Guadalajara Iberoamerican Congress.
• 1997: Thessaloniki Conference on Environmental Education, Society, and Public Awareness for Sustainability.
• 2002: Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (United Nations).

Core Objectives of Environmental Education (EE)

• Awareness: Raising awareness regarding environmental problems.
• Knowledge: Acquiring comprehensive environmental knowledge.
• Attitude: Forming positive attitudes and acquiring values to protect and improve the environment.
• Skills: Developing problem-solving skills.
• Assessment: Ability to assess ecological, political, and social factors.
• Participation: Fostering educational participation and responsibility for action to achieve environmental goals.

Essential Components of Environmental Education

• Ecological: Knowledge of life support systems and nature, and respect for them.
• Conceptual and Research: Understanding and investigating environmental issues.
• Awareness and Assessment: Developing awareness and the capacity to assess environmental problems.
• Action Capacity: Developing the capacity to act and participate in problem-solving.