Chapter 1

Environmental Awareness
Introduction : The need to spread environmental awareness is
enormous in the context of successfully addressing environmental
problems. It is linked to environmental education.
On the one hand, provision of environmental education creates
greater awareness in individuals and communities with respect to
putting environmental resources to use even while conserving
them. On the other hand, greater environmental awareness
increases the scope of environmental educationas a discipline
as well as inclusion of aspects of it within the scope of other
disciplines.
Various media and means are used to spread environmental
awareness among the people. The electronic media and the print
media are the major mediums of spreading information about
environment

among

the

populaceeducating

them

about

environmental concerns and ways to address these. News,

features, talk shows and discussions on television and radio are
increasingly focusing on environmental themes of today.
Envrionmental Problems : Global warming, air and water
pollution, overuse of fertilisers, the negative implication of use of
plastics and polythene, conservation of energy and fuel resources,
all these are topics of current media debate. Newspapers and
magazines too are, one may say, more environment conscious

Chapter 1
than ever before. Articles and analyses explore the environmental
debacle that our globe is headed towards and create awareness in
the common man about environmental problems.
Schools and universities play an enormously significant role in
generating environmental awareness among children and the
youth. Textbooks reveal an increasing concern with environmental
problems and solutions and numerous courses are available at the
postgraduate level that provide environmental education relating
to management and conservation of environment, environmental
health, social ecology and so on.
The issue of environmental education has been a major cause of
concern. Several national and international seminars, conferences
and

workshops

have

stressed

the

need

of

environmental

education.
The United Nations Conference on Human Environment at
Stockholm in 1972 played a key role in the emergence of the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UNESCO
held an International Workshop on Environmental Education
(ICEE) at Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1975 to identify the guiding
principles of promoting environmental awareness education.
It was followed by the International Conference on Environmental
Education at Tbilisi, USSR, in 1977 which formulated objectives
and principles for developing environmental education at formal
and non-formal levels.

Chapter 1
The ICEE has been held at New Delhi in the pastin 1980 and in
1985. It was observed during these conferences that the need of
the hour was to help create social consciousness and awareness
about the harm caused by ecological disruptions.
The objective of such education is that individuals and social
groups should become aware, acquire knowledge, develop
attitudes, skills and abilities and be able to address real-life
environmental problems. Integrated inter-disciplinary and holistic
education is to be provided to all sections of the population. It
would first of all require a new approach to education itselfan
approach which cuts across different subjects in schools and
universities.
The goals of environmental education as pointed out by the
UNESCO are to create environmental awareness in the world
populationan awareness about the whole environment and
problems associated with it and generate commitment in people
to work individually and in unison towards solving existing
problems and preventing new ones from emerging.
Objectives:
i. Acquiring an awareness of the whole environment and the many
problems that have arisen with regard to human misuse of
environment and developing a sensitivity in people in this
context.

Chapter 1
ii. Groups and individuals must gain skills for identifying and
solving environmental problems.
iii.

To

help

people

gain

experiences

and

gains

basic

understanding of the environment and related problems.

iv. Help people acquire values and feelings of concern for the
environment and encourage their participation in improvement
and safeguarding of our environment.
v. Ensure evaluation of environmental measures and programmes
in terms of ecological, economic, social, aesthetic and educational
factors.
vi. Provide to all an opportunity to get involved at all levels in the
task of resolving environmental problems.
Guiding Principles:
The need is to have a continuous life process of environmental
educationfrom pre-school level to formal and non-formal
education levels.
An

interdisciplinary

approach

to

spread

awareness

of

environmental problems and knowledge about environment is

necessary.
The complex nature of environmental problems are to be
recognised and critical thinking and problem-solving skills need to
be developed in people.

Chapter 1
The value of local, national and international cooperation in
addressing environmental problems is to be highlighted.
The need is to use available knowledge about the environment
and the many available approaches to teaching and learning.
Learners

must

be

acquainted

with

the

real

causes

of

environmental problems and the way these get expressed and

must be encouraged to participate in prevention and resolving
environmental problems.
School-level education needs to link up aspects of sensitivity to
environment, knowledge of environment and problem-solving.
The

need

is

to

stress

on

current

as

well

as

potential

environmental situations.
All plans for social, economic and other kinds of growth and
development must pay attention to environmental aspects.