Challenges to environmental education in the 21st century

Abstract

Fundamentals of the paper : 1. the need to rethink, review and re-adapt EE to fit in with the goal of sustainable development 2. the need to provide training (teacher education and the broad environmental education of professionals) 3. the need to document and promote experiences The background : In addition to benchmark documents such as the report "Our Common Future" (WCED, 1987) and Agenda 21 (United Nations, 1992), a number of events have in the past been dedicated to questions related to the usefulness and application of environmental education in both formal and non-formal education. The conferences and congresses held in Belgrade, Tbilisi, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro and Thessaloniki, among others, have discussed such issues at great length. In addition, substantial efforts were made in the past to promote environmental education at the national, regional and international level. One recurring theme was how to address the problems seen in respect of the implementation of environmental education initiatives, in particular: - the lack of materials - the lack of funds - the lack of official recognition - the lack of training The last item, lack of training, will be looked in depth in this paper. Going back to the other issues, it was often suggested that ways to address them would have to include the principle of "decisions reached by consensus". This has posed its own problems in terms of asymmetrical bargaining relationships between developed and developing countries. In the final plenary session of the Thessaloniki Conference, a delegate, reporting back on a work session asked: "Why is it that developing countries are so much behind developed countries in implementing environmental education?" She proposed that one reason might be the natural availability of financial resources that she described as "gentle reminders of wealth" by the major trading powers in comparison of what a particular developing country spends in terms of environmental education and the level of support afforded to it. She said that new ways should be found to "safeguard the balance" between what industrialised and developing countries do in respect of using environmental education as a tool to environmental protection.