Learning to be Green: The Future of Environmental Education

To fulfil its environmental goals, the Government will need to bring about change in all sectors of society. Environmental education has a key role to play, yet current initiatives are inadequate. Policies for environmental education emphasise the role of schools while taking insufficient account of the importance of social and cultural factors in determining people’s actions. Environmental education needs to do more than just describe environmental problems. It should help people to find their own local solutions. Urban wildlife areas can be a key resource in achieving this, especially where local people are involved in their management. Multimedia information technology also offers new opportunities. While environmental education is not a panacea, it has a central role to play within a coherent environmental strategy.