Importance of teaching children about environmental issues

Date:
July 7, 2021
Source:
University of Exeter
Summary:
Environmental education provision needs greater investment and
innovation if future generations are to be able to respond fully
to the climate emergency, experts have said.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Environmental education provision needs greater investment and innovation
if future generations are to be able to respond fully to the climate
emergency, experts have said.


==========================================================================
The deepening environmental crisis will continue to worsen if there is not significant support and investment in environmental and science education, researchers have warned. Reforms would help young people to address the complex, interlinked and dynamic issues of our contemporary situation.

The experts argue Governments and other organisations must direct more
funding to education innovation in response to consistent warnings
from scientists about trends in the deteriorating state of ecosystems, biodiversity and climate, amongst other environmental issues.

Writing in Environmental Education Research, Alan Reid, from Monash
University, Justin Dillon, from the University of Exeter, Jo-Anne
Ferreira, from the University of Southern Queensland and Nicole Ardoin
from Stanford University, who are senior editors of the journal, say environmental education is a "cornerstone for the social and environmental changes" needed in the future.

Environmental and science education helps people to identify fake
information and ideologies, and understand and respond appropriately to warnings about the climate emergency.

They add that consensus on our environmental predicaments is not simply
a matter for scientists, however. It must be supported by those in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, and wider society. Only then
will contemporary calls by organisations such as UNEP and UNESCO that 'environmental education be a core component of all education systems
at all levels by 2025', have a chance of gaining the multilateral and multileveled support the situation so urgently requires.

The academics highlight international surveys that show many governments continue to fail to support and invest enough in environmental and sustainability education across pre-school, school, college and university settings.

Professor Ferreira said: "The research base is clear about the superiority
of whole-school approaches to quick curriculum fixes for addressing topics
such as the climate emergency. The existential risk aspects also mean
we need to look at investment and innovation in lifelong learning and non-school based provision, alongside examining the focus of current
initial teacher education and continuing professional development."
Professor Reid said: "The popularity of outdoor education centres and activities are testament to the broader base of interest in environment
and nature, as well as when arts, media and civil society addresses
the climate crisis. Flagship environmental and science communication documentaries by the likes of David Attenborough examining the causes
and effects of the climate emergency whet many people's appetites
for understanding more from credible sources. Sir David's own learning
journey in coming to understand the urgency of the situation underscores
the rich learning opportunities available to us all, particularly
in the run up to COP26 in Glasgow." He added: "Ensuring any form of environmental education is relevant, coherent, fit for purpose, funded appropriately, and available to current and future generations within
and beyond the curriculum will be crucial to addressing sound and
pertinent warnings from scientists." Professor Dillon said: "Global
leaders should be discussing how to reimagine, recreate and restore environmental education to reduce the consequences of the environmental
crisis. Countries should embed environmental and science education
throughout society in ways that make sense locally." Professor Ardoin
said: "Only by investing in education -- and especially environmental
and sustainability education -- will it be possible to radically alter
the course we are currently on, and thus demonstrate to ourselves
and future generations that sufficient heed was given to our warnings." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Exeter. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Alan Reid, Justin Dillon, Nicole Ardoin, Jo-Anne
Ferreira. Scientists'
warnings and the need to reimagine, recreate, and restore
environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 2021;
27 (6): 783 DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2021.1937577 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210707112408.htm

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