CIA-3

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN INDIA

-Manisha M 0914366 Economics Honours

What is Environmental Education?

Environmental education (EE) properly understood, should constitute a comprehensive lifelong education, one responsive to changes in a rapidly changing world. It should prepare the individual for life, through an understanding of the major problems of the contemporary world, and the provision of skills and attributes needed to play a productive role towards improving life and protecting the environment with due regard given to ethical values. (UNESCO, 1977) Components of environmental education

Education about the environment Basic knowledge and understanding of the environment and our complex relationship with it. Education in or from the environment Using the environment as a natural laboratory for planned inquiry and investigation. Education for environmental awareness Values, attitudes and positive actions

Importance of environmental education

A clean and healthy environment is quintessential for the very survival of the human race. A vast country like India faces formidable challenges in the form of exploding population, widespread poverty, recurring natural disasters and a dwindling natural resource base. A majority of the population lives below the poverty line and are illiterate. They depend exclusively on our diminishing natural resource base. Large scale environmental degradation has caused a global concern about the conservation and protection of the earths environment. Hence, efforts are being made for inculcating environmental consciousness or awareness among the masses. It is education which can make the human being conscious and knowledgeable about environment and environmental problems. Moreover, awareness is essential for the action. The main purpose of environmental education in schools is to acquaint and sensitize the young minds to the environmental problems and concerns, to inculcate in them healthy personal and social attitude and behaviour towards environment. Thus, students must have awareness about

environment and the problems associated with it so that they can play their role very effectively. Hence, it is necessary to know how far the school students are aware about environment and environmental problems. In an experiment conducted the level of Environmental Awareness among Secondary and Senior Secondary Students observed is quite high. There might be significant differences in environmental awareness of students of private schools and government schools. These findings reveal that students of private schools have more environmental awareness than government school students. The main reason for higher environmental awareness among students of private schools than government school students may be the family background and educational qualification of parents. Parents of students studying in private schools are graduates and are having well to do and affluent family background. Such parents are mainly concerned with inculcating environmental awareness in their children as they are aware of the dangers and consequences of environmental degradation at global level. On the other hand, students staying in Government schools come from poor families and have less educated or illiterate parents. Their main priority is to fulfill the needs of their family members. They are not aware of environmental issues so they cant pass on these awareness measures to their children so the students of government schools do not get the learning environment in their homes because of which they score less than students of private schools. The need for environmental education is that all major natural resources in the country are in grave danger of irreparable damage. A society cannot survive if its natural resources are rendered unfit for use by its people. The only hope of salvaging this grave situation is by making the young aware that they need to proactively begin to protect the environment they will inherit .Science and Technology can help in a limited way but cannot deliver it. To protect children living in polluted regions, environmental education represents a relevant means of prevention. As future planners, designers, builders and decision makers , students shoulder special responsibility in protecting the integrity of nature and the natural environment. The essential components of the environmental education are alerting the public to the need to achieve global sustainable development and the likely consequences of failing to do so also on focusing the educational curricula for global sustainable development by incorporating the know how and skills and also the moral imperatives. The focus must be on reducing consumption with a view to achieving sustainability. The content should be holistic, covering all essential aspects. The major areas to be covered are air quality, ecosystem and biodiversity, energy resources, land use and water quality.

State 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. Comprehensive scheme of 'Environmental Education, Awareness and Training' was launched in 1983-84. Environmental Education, Awareness and Training Scheme The scheme intends to enhance our understanding about the interactions between human beings and environment. Also, it aims to facilitate the development of skills for environmental protection. The objective of the schemes are as follow:

To promote environmental awareness among all sections of the society; To spread environment education, especially in the non-formal system among different sections of the society; To facilitate development of education/training materials and aids in the formal education sector; To promote environment education through existing educational/scientific/research institutions; To ensure training and manpower development for environment education, awareness and training; To encourage non-governmental organizations, mass media and other concerned organizations for promoting awareness about environmental issues among the people at all levels;

To use different media including films, audio, visual and print, theatre, drama, advertisements, hoarding, posters, seminars, workshops, competitions, meetings etc. for spreading messages concerning environment and awareness; and

To mobilize people's participation for preservation and conservation of environment. Central Government recognizes EE as a key to success of overall environmental strategy & decides to help in the

setting up of a 'Centre of Excellence'. These centres promote EE through developing resource material, organizing training/ awareness programmes, builds capacity in the field for sustainable development. These centres play the vital role in setting the pace & the agenda for EE. These centres are- Centre for Environment Education, C.P.R Environmental Education Centre, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Centre for Mining Environment, Salim Ali Centre for

Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Centre of Excellence in Environmental Economics, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Centre for Animals and Environment. Key programmes/ activities launched under Environmental Education, Awareness and Training scheme over the years are: National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India started The National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) in 1986 with the aim of creating environmental awareness at all levels of society. It is a multi-media campaign which utilises conventional and nonconventional methods of communication for disseminating environmental messages to a wide range of target groups. Under NEAC, the Ministry provides financial assistance to selected non governmental organizations, education and training institutes, community organizations, etc. to create massive awareness among citizens of India. Diverse target groups ranging from students/youth/teachers to rural and tribal population, women, professionals and the general public are covered under this campaign. The Campaign programmes are basically composed of a spectrum of short duration programmes. The programme is being implemented through 33 designated Regional Resource Agencies (RRAs) for specific states/regions of the country. During 2009-10 total 11,738 organisations have participated in the campaign across the country.

Eco Clubs & National Green Corps (NGC) 'Eco Clubs' were constituted by MoEF with objectives to educate school children about their immediate environment and impart knowledge about the eco-systems, their interdependence and their need for survival, by involving them in various environmental activities through visits and demonstrations and to mobilise youngsters by instilling in them the spirit of scientific inquiry into environmental problems and involving them in the efforts of environmental preservation. Keeping in view the potential of this programme in sensitizing the school students, it was decided to intensify this programme to cover each and every district of the country. A programme of raising 'National Green Corps' through the Eco clubs was, therefore, launched during 2001-2002. This programme is being implemented in each State/UT through the Nodal agency appointed by the State/UT Govt. An Eco-club may be set up in a middle/high school and should consist of a minimum of 20 members and a maximum of 50 members, particularly interested in the conservation and

protection of the environment, and willing to dedicate time and effort on a regular basis towards this end. The members may be drawn from students belonging to classes from VI to X. Each Eco-club will be in charge of an active teacher in the school concerned. MoEF provide some financial assistance for establishment of Eco clubs. It gives ` 2500/- per annum per Eco-club. It also provides teacher training and distribution of resource materials. So far 1,12,844 Eco clubs have been established in NGC Schools across the country (Year 2010).

Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) The GLOBE is an International Science and Education Programme, which emphasizes on hands-on participatory approach. India joined this programme in August, 2000. This programme unites students, teachers and scientists all over the world and targets school children. The students of GLOBE schools are required to collect data about various basic environmental parameters under the supervision of a GLOBE trained teacher. Through this they learn about scientific protocols and perform environmental learning activities, which have already been introduced as theory in the textbooks. The GLOBE programme not only helps the students to appreciate the contents of the textbooks through better understanding but also assists them in gaining complete knowledge of environment. It facilitates research through a worldwide research team comprising of students, teachers and scientists. Strengthening Environment Education in School System and other courses at Graduate and Post-Graduate level including Professional Courses

Formal Environmental Education Program The National Policy on Education, 1986 (NPE) states that the protection of the environment is a value which must form an integral part of the curriculum at all stages of education. The NPE states: There is a paramount need to create a consciousness of the environment. It must permeate all ages and all sections of society, beginning with the child. Environmental consciousness should inform teaching in schools and colleges. This aspect will be integrated in the entire educational process.

The programme obliges the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the Ministry of Environment & Forests to ensure that environmental education is imparted adequately at the school levels. It mandates that environmental components are covered in the school curriculum at various levels.

Environmental Appreciation Course - Distance Education In order to provide interested persons an opportunity to learn in detail about specific environmental issues, there is provision of a course module through a Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for 'Environmental Appreciation'. Delivery of these courses is through distance education mode. The course module developed for appreciation courses is also being used by the IGNOU as compulsory component of its undergraduate courses. This is in pursuance of the directives of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.

Non-formal Environment Education and Awareness Project The Ministry of Environment & forests, New Delhi accords high priority for the promotion of non-formal environment education and creation of awareness among all sections of the society through diverse activities. The project was launched to encourage and enhance public participation in activities that intended to conserve, protect, manage and sustain the environment. The government has undertaken various activities by using several traditional and modern media of communication, to create awareness among the people, such as seminars, workshops, training programs, rallies, public meetings, camps, exhibitions, puppet shows and street theatre.

Grants-in-Aid to Professional Societies and Institutions The objective of this programme is to facilitate optimum utilization of expertise available with professional societies and institutions for promotion of environment education and awareness. The programme aims at utilizing the existing capacity while simultaneously providing for enhancing the capacities of such institutions. The projects such as development/extension of exhibition galleries, interpretation centres and education materials relating to ecology, wildlife and environment is financially supported. Other Awareness Programmes

India has a vast network of NGO's that are actively participating in the creation of awareness on development and environmental issues. Working on their own and with Governments they are the backbone of the strategy to create greater environmental awareness, especially that leading to environmental action.

Despite great efforts to spread environmental awareness by the MoEF through several schemes, creation of awareness among large population especially in rural areas is difficult task. "Mass Awareness" through media, particularly the electronic media has therefore been identified as one of the thrust areas. It not only intensifies the efforts already being made in this direction but also launch new initiatives in this direction to encourage

individual efforts in producing films/documentaries on environment/wildlife related themes in the country.

Action Oriented Environmental Education- Environmental education is the process of developing environmentally conscious behavior of an individual. Education/ literacy alone do not guarantee that the learner will exhibit a specified set of behaviors. Rather, it guarantees only that the learner has the capacity for such behaviors. It involves a limited combination of awareness and action that encourages people to engage in immediate personal action that contributes to environmental improvements such as saving electricity, fuel and water, buying "Green" products, reducing solid waste, etc. Most of these actions are fairly simple and usually require just one step.

But most people hesitate to take an initiative and make the connection between an environmental issue and their own individual action. Realizing this Government of Maharashtra has launched Environmental Service Scheme (ESS). CRITICAL ANALYSIS Environmental economics plays a very important role in spreading awareness and motivates people to take a step towards making this world a better to place live in. However, some loopholes with the way it is taught can be pointed out. Adequate information seemed to be missing on topics such as the State's biological diversity, its biogeographic regions, its common and endangered species, how ecosystems can be sustainably used and how degraded systems can be restored. Further the need to limit resource consumption, wastage of water, energy etc. has not been highlighted in teaching the subject. For example, While air and water pollution have been frequently addressed, the other forms which include noise, oil, thermal, radiation are discussed cursorily. Solar energy finds ample space, but other sources of non-conventional energy have not been dealt with adequately. Another problem that can be observed is the lack of a holistic approach that integrates teaching of environmental concepts into real life experiences. There was very poor infusion of information on sustainable lifestyles and what individuals could and should do for environmental preservation through their personal daily activities. As happens often with other components of the school curricula, EE too has become a subject to be learnt by rote, without the students understanding or caring enough for the subject matter. It is also necessary to motivate the students to act towards environmental presrvation. This, they consider, is one of the main aims of EE. Biases need to be removed. Also, the urban-rural divide in terms of environmental problems needs to

be bridged. Given the rate at which environmental degradation is taking place, it is necessary to take these steps and many more in order to create more well informed citizens.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://envis.maharashtra.gov.in/envis_data/newsletter/envlit/env_edu_in_India.html https://www.sensepublishers.com/files/9789087909635PR.pdf http://www.ceeindia.org/esf/download/paper3.pdf