全球智库信息集成服务系统

The primary purpose of this paper is to outline how the idea of environmental education has come into use, how it has developed over the last few decades, and what efforts are under way in the Asia-Pacific region in the educational field to reduce environmental deterioration and actually improve the condition of the environment. Internationally, the term "environmental education" first appeared in 1948, and is characterized as a lifelong process of learning, action, and reflection. Some of the activities related to it include the exchange of information among institutions, the publication of teaching materials, teacher education, demonstration projects, action-oriented research, and the development of a pool of experienced resource persons. In the Asia-Pacific, regional and sub-regional strategies have been formulated to develop a mechanism for cooperation. Environmental education is seen as a new approach to education, moving towards greener curricula, expanding concerns into social sciences, etc. Yet, effectively, it still suffers from a lack of supporting national policies, rigid curricula resistant to change, and a lack of data, accessible information, and conventional teaching methods. In order to systematically address the issues and improve the effectiveness of environmental education, the authors recommend a number of actions to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders, develop partnerships, review curricula and programs, improve governance, and mobilize resources.