Understanding Environmental Education: Background and Key Definitions

Why do we need to teach people about the environment? That question has been at the centre of global policy discussions for over five decades. Environmental education (EE) is not just a classroom subject – it is a lifelong, interdisciplinary approach designed to help individuals and communities understand their relationship with the natural world and take responsible action. From its formal beginnings at a landmark UN conference in 1972 to its current role in shaping sustainable development strategies, environmental education has evolved into one of the most important tools humanity has for addressing ecological crises.

The origins of environmental education 🔗

While concern for nature and conservation existed long before the 20th century, environmental education as a structured, internationally recognised concept has its roots in the early 1970s. The growing awareness of pollution, resource depletion, and ecological damage – fuelled in part by publications like Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring – created a demand for education that went beyond simple nature study.

The Stockholm Conference (1972) 🔗

The defining moment came in June 1972 at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden. This was the first major international gathering focused entirely on environmental issues. The conference produced a declaration consisting of 7 proclamations and 26 principles aimed at guiding nations toward preserving and improving the human environment. Crucially, it declared that environmental education must serve as a key tool for tackling global environmental problems. The Stockholm Conference also led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which would go on to play a central role in shaping EE worldwide. Recommendation 96 of the conference specifically called for the development of international environmental education initiatives, setting the stage for everything that followed.

The Belgrade Charter (1975) 🔗

Building directly on the momentum from Stockholm, UNESCO and UNEP organised the International Workshop on Environmental Education in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) in October 1975. The outcome of this workshop was the Belgrade Charter, a document that became a global framework for environmental education. The Belgrade Charter expanded on the Stockholm Declaration by adding clearly defined goals, objectives, and guiding principles for EE programmes. It also identified the audience for environmental education as the general public – not just scientists or policymakers. The charter’s goal statement became one of the most widely cited definitions of EE: a process aimed at creating a global population that is aware of, concerned about, and equipped to address environmental problems both individually and collectively.

The Tbilisi Declaration (1977) 🔗

The most significant milestone in formalising environmental education came in October 1977 at the First Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education in Tbilisi, Georgia (then part of the Soviet Union). Organised by UNESCO in collaboration with UNEP, the conference brought together delegates from 66 member states along with representatives from international organisations. The resulting Tbilisi Declaration updated and refined both the Stockholm Declaration and the Belgrade Charter, adding new goals, objectives, characteristics, and guiding principles specifically for environmental education.

The Tbilisi Declaration is widely regarded as the foundational document for modern EE. It affirmed that education must play a leading role in building awareness and understanding of environmental problems, and that it should foster positive behavioural change toward the environment. The declaration provides the framework for environmental education at all levels – local, national, regional, and international – and for all age groups, both within and outside formal schooling.

The role of UNESCO and UNEP 🔗

UNESCO and UNEP were the driving forces behind the development and dissemination of environmental education globally. Together, they established the International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) in 1975, which operated for two decades (1975-1995). The IEEP set out a practical vision for mobilising education toward environmental awareness. UNESCO also launched the newsletter Connect in 1976 as the official publication of the programme, helping to build a global network of EE practitioners and institutions. Their partnership continued through four major international conferences on environmental education from 1977 onwards, ensuring that EE remained on the global agenda.

Defining environmental education 🔗

One of the most common ways to understand environmental education is through the framework of education in, about, and for the environment. This three-part approach captures the full scope of what EE involves.

Education in the environment 🔗

This refers to learning that takes place directly within natural settings. Field trips, outdoor classrooms, nature walks, and hands-on experiences in ecosystems all fall under this category. The idea is that direct contact with the environment deepens understanding and builds personal connection – something that textbooks alone cannot achieve.

Education about the environment 🔗

This is the knowledge-building component. It involves teaching people how natural systems work, the causes and consequences of environmental degradation, and the science behind issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. EE draws on multiple disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, mathematics, and geography.

Education for the environment 🔗

This is the action-oriented dimension. It goes beyond awareness and knowledge to develop the skills, values, and motivation needed for people to actively participate in solving environmental problems. The goal is not just to inform but to empower individuals and communities to take responsible decisions and meaningful action.

According to UNESCO, environmental education is a way of implementing environmental protection goals – it is not a separate branch of science but a lifelong, interdisciplinary field of study. The Tbilisi Declaration similarly described EE as a comprehensive, lifelong educational process that should prepare individuals for life by addressing the major challenges of the contemporary world.

Goals and outcomes of environmental education 🔗

The Tbilisi Declaration laid out specific goals and objectives for environmental education that remain influential today. These goals provide a structured pathway from basic awareness to active participation.

The five objectives from Tbilisi 🔗

The conference defined five core categories of EE objectives:

Awareness – helping individuals and communities develop sensitivity to the total environment and its associated problems. This is the starting point: people need to notice and care about environmental issues before they can act on them.

Knowledge – enabling people to gain experience with and understanding of the environment and the problems affecting it. This means going beyond surface-level familiarity to develop a real grasp of ecological processes and human impacts.

Attitudes – cultivating values and feelings of concern for the environment that motivate active participation in environmental protection and improvement. Attitudes shape behaviour, which is why this objective is central.

Skills – developing the ability to identify and solve environmental problems. This includes critical thinking, data analysis, problem-solving, and the practical know-how needed to address real-world environmental challenges.

Participation – giving individuals and groups the opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working toward the resolution of environmental problems.

Broader outcomes 🔗

Beyond these five categories, the Tbilisi goals also emphasised fostering awareness of economic, social, political, and ecological interdependence, and creating new behavioural patterns among individuals, groups, and society as a whole. This is significant because it frames environmental education not just as an ecological concern but as a deeply interconnected social issue.

Over time, these outcomes have been integrated into the broader framework of sustainable development. The United Nations has repeatedly reaffirmed the connection between EE and sustainability, most notably through the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and the ongoing ESD for 2030 programme. Environmental education now underpins efforts to address the three pillars of sustainable development: biophysical (ecological), economic, and social.

The interdisciplinary nature of environmental education 🔗

One of the most important characteristics of environmental education is that it is not a standalone subject. Unlike mathematics or history, EE does not have a single disciplinary home. Instead, it is a cross-cutting dimension that should be woven into existing subjects and curricula.

EE across disciplines 🔗

Environmental education integrates content and methods from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. A geography class might explore deforestation patterns; a chemistry lesson could examine water contamination; an economics course might analyse the costs of pollution; and an art class could engage students in creative responses to environmental themes. The 1970 UNESCO-IUCN working meeting in Nevada concluded that the elements of environmental education are not fully contained within any single discipline – it is the product of partnerships built on science, public awareness, and outdoor educational methods.

Reorienting educational systems 🔗

The Tbilisi Declaration was clear on this point: environmental education requires reorienting educational systems rather than simply adding a new subject. It called for using diverse learning environments, practical activities, and first-hand experience, and for enabling learners to play a role in planning their own learning. This means schools, universities, and informal education settings all need to embed environmental perspectives across their programmes.

A UNESCO study analysing curricula in nearly 50 countries found that more than half made no reference to climate change, and only 19% mentioned biodiversity. A third of surveyed teachers said environment-related issues were not part of their training. These gaps highlight how much work remains in making environmental education truly interdisciplinary and systemic.

From EE to education for sustainable development 🔗

Over the past two decades, environmental education and sustainable development have increasingly converged under the umbrella of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The UN Economic Commission for Europe described ESD as broadening the concept of EE to encompass interrelated environmental, economic, and social issues. The 2012 Tbilisi+35 intergovernmental conference – held 35 years after the original Tbilisi Declaration – reaffirmed that environmental education remains essential within this broader ESD framework. Environmental education did not disappear; it evolved and expanded.

Why environmental education matters today 🔗

The challenges that prompted the Stockholm Conference in 1972 have not gone away – they have intensified. Climate change, plastic pollution, mass species extinction, water scarcity, and deforestation demand populations that are not only aware of these problems but equipped to address them. Environmental education provides the foundation for this by building knowledge, shaping values, developing skills, and motivating participation.

EE is also a matter of equity. Communities in the Global South, which often bear the greatest environmental burdens, stand to benefit most from educational approaches that link environmental protection with social and economic development. Environmental education, when done well, does not just produce environmentally literate individuals – it produces engaged, informed citizens capable of shaping policy and holding institutions accountable.

From the Stockholm Declaration’s broad vision to the Tbilisi Declaration’s practical framework, environmental education has been built on the principle that learning is one of the most powerful tools for changing how humanity relates to the planet. That principle is more relevant now than it has ever been.

What do you think? Has environmental education evolved fast enough to keep pace with the scale of today’s ecological crises? And in your experience, how well is EE actually integrated into school and university curricula where you live?

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_education
2. https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=217481&section=3.1
3. https://sk.sagepub.com/ency/edvol/greeneducation/chpt/tbilisi-declaration
4. https://eiec.gov.ge/En/Topics/OverView/1
5. https://www.unesco.org/en/sustainable-development/education
6. https://ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in/geop08/chapter/environmental-education/
7. https://sites.duke.edu/eelandscape/round-i/tbilisi-goals-and-objectives/
8. https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/creating-new-society-through-environmental-education
9. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-4234-1_1
10. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-urges-making-environmental-education-core-curriculum-component-all-countries-2025