Environmental Education
Creating an environment to educate about the environment
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Environmental Action and EE

Environmental action at the local level takes several different forms - such as those listed below. Each needs its own brand of EE. Think ... what would be necessary for each action type?

  • Provide ...
    Environmental activity essentially involves providing the necessary services, information etc. in response to a demand or a need. It is primarily local in nature, in direct relation to the end user of the service. The activity comes at the end of the implementation cycle, but can also include provision of a policy framework, capacity building exercise etc.

  • Control ...
    Control involves the minimization, curtailment or suppression of negative effects. such negative effects can be at the local/individual level, for example affecting the health of a household, living/work conditions etc., or can be regional or transboundary in nature - particularly in the case of pollution of air or water. Control of such negative activities takes the form of laws and legislation, enforcement of rules and regulations, education, public awareness etc. Implementation may also include citations, fines, court orders etc.

  • Educate ...
    A key common denominator that underpins all environmental action, education involves information dissemination and awareness-building, in order to bring about a change in attitudes and consumption patterns. It aims to influence overall resource utilization. Education can be directed either at the individual/household or at the community/region as a whole. Education can be formal, university-based learning and training, but can also be non-formal - on-the-job training, continuing education programmes etc. It can be a continuous process, or a one-time process, providing quick summarized information or more comprehensive information.

  • Programme ...
    Environmental programmes constitute an umbrella of broad approaches that aim at preserving, implementing, educating, or controlling environmental effects, both negative and positive. Questions that needs to be asked include: what programmes are necessary? When should such programmes be implemented? Where - at what level - should such programmes be developed (in terms of its formulation and implementation)? Who should implement the programmes, and who are the target beneficiaries? How should the programme be implemented?

  • Legislate ...
    Certain environmental problems are best tackled through legislation - at the local, national and international levels. Legislative action can take various 'stick-and'carrot' forms, where positive action is rewarded and negative action is punished. Laws, rules, regulation, standards, acts etc. are common legislative forms of action. They may call for the setting up of institutions and regulatory bodies, procedures for action, fees, fines, taxes etc. to be paid. Legislation falls under, and is a part of, the broader umbrella of governance systems.

  • Maintain ...
    Maintenance and preservation of natural reserves or heritage resources typically require extensive maintenance and preservation of their status. The maintenance and preservation may be carried out by a specialized organization, a body of experts, the proximate community, or other local and regional stakeholders.

  • Finance ...
    Most environmental activity, in one form or another, require financial resources to be allocated to operationalize a policy, programme or project. This may come from public funds, provate investment, community contributions/donations, or other sources.



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Contact: Hari Srinivas - hsrinivas@gdrc.org