Summary

Effective environmental education is an essential requirement for a sustainable future, yet it is acknowledged that public understanding of major environmental issues remains poor. This book provides an overview of recent research on the degree of understanding of environmental matters and surveys resources available to support the delivery of environmental education and the development of environmental policies. The findings of research on attitudes to the environment and on understanding of environmental issues among children and young people in the UK and across Europe are presented, together with a survey of practicing teachers' awareness of environmental matters. The book also examines the link between environmental education and green consumerism and looks at the contribution which both formal education - in schools, further and higher education - and informal education via the media can make to the development of environmental awareness. The availability of teaching and learning resources and networks at local, regional and national levels is reviewed. A collaborative project between an HE institution and the National Rivers Authority to establish a wetland site, now used for environmental education from primary school to postgraduate level, is presented as an example of how different organisations can work together to good effect. Finally, the book attempts to establish indicators for the evaluation of environmental education programmes, to secure the development of positive attitudes and a genuine, life long responsibility for the environment.