WHAT WE COVER

EE as an Academic Discipline

Why a Dedicated Discipline?

Interdisciplinary Foundations

Tbilisi Objectives (6 Goals)

Non-Formal Agencies

Key Programmes & Initiatives

Future Directions

Environmental Education

as an Academic Discipline

For decades, EE was an extracurricular afterthought. Today it stands as a rigorous, interdisciplinary academic field responding to escalating global ecological crises — synthesising natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities into a unified pedagogical framework.

1977

Tbilisi Declaration

6

Core Objectives

3+

Disciplines Integrated

The Evolution of Environmental Education

1960s

Minor component

in science subjects

1970s

Tbilisi Declaration

(UNESCO-UNEP)

1990s

Formal curriculum

integration globally

2000s

ESD — Education for

Sustainable Development

2020s

Academic discipline

with research scope

EE evolved from a marginal topic to a recognised academic discipline responding to planetary ecological crises.

The Interdisciplinary Foundation of EE

ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION

Natural Sciences

(Ecology, Biology,

Chemistry)

Social Sciences

(Sociology, Economics,

Geography)

Humanities

(Ethics, Philosophy,

History)

Education

(Pedagogy, Curriculum,

Assessment)

EE synthesises knowledge across disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic pedagogical framework addressing the full complexity of environmental challenges.

Why EE Needs to Be a Distinct Academic Discipline

1

Complex Problem Solving

Climate change, biodiversity loss & resource depletion are multidimensional. A single discipline cannot address their full scope.

2

Systematic Pedagogical Progression

A structured curriculum progresses from primary through higher education — ensuring concepts build logically, not in fragmented isolation.

3

Fostering Pro-Environmental Behaviour

Beyond teaching 'how nature works,' EE investigates cognitive and affective domains to shift attitudes from exploitative to sustainable.

More Reasons: The Case for a Dedicated EE Discipline

04

Professionalization & Green Skills

Produces specialized professionals — environmental educators, sustainability officers, policy analysts — equipped for the modern green economy.

05

Ethical & Philosophical Grounding

Creates academic space to rigorously debate and define environmental ethics — questioning the moral obligations humans have toward the natural world.

Together, these five pillars justify EE's recognition as a full academic discipline — not a supplementary activity.

1977

Tbilisi Declaration

UNESCO – UNEP

The Gold Standard

The Tbilisi Declaration formalised the foundational objectives of Environmental Education. It marked EE's transformation from an informal activity into a structured, purposeful academic endeavour with globally recognised goals.

​

These objectives remain the gold standard for EE practitioners and institutions worldwide — designed to move learners from passive awareness to active environmental citizenship.

6 Objectives of Environmental Education — Tbilisi 1977

1

AWARENESS

Sensitivity to total environment and allied problems

2

KNOWLEDGE

Understanding environments and humanity's role within them

3

ATTITUDES

Values and concern motivating active participation

4

SKILLS

Practical, critical and analytical problem-solving ability

5

EVALUATION

Assess measures ecologically, politically and socially

6

PARTICIPATION

Active involvement in resolving environmental issues

From Passive Awareness to Active Engagement

AWARENESS

KNOWLEDGE

ATTITUDES

SKILLS

EVALUATION

PARTICIPATION

← AWARENESS

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION →

The six objectives form a progressive learning continuum — from simply recognising environmental problems to becoming an active agent of change.

NON-FORMAL

Environmental

Education

What is it?

Learning outside the standard curriculum. Flexible, community-centric, and crucial for lifelong engagement with the environment.

Targets the general public

Awareness campaigns, social media, community events

Reaches marginalised communities

Tailored workshops, indigenous knowledge integration

Engages working professionals

Short courses, certifications, workplace training

Promotes lifelong learning

Museums, zoos, nature clubs, citizen science

Complementing formal education since the 1970s

Key Non-Formal Agencies in Environmental Education

Government Bodies & Ministries

e.g. MoEFCC (India), EPA (USA)

Drive large-scale public campaigns and fund community EE initiatives.

International Organizations

e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, UNDP

Create global frameworks and provide resources for community-level learning.

Non-Governmental Organizations

e.g. WWF, Greenpeace, CSE

Translate complex research into accessible public knowledge and community action.

Zoos, Gardens & Museums

e.g. Natural History Museums, Botanical Gardens

Provide experiential learning and foster biophilia through exhibits and interpretation.

Prominent Non-Formal EE Programmes

01

Eco-Clubs & Youth Movements

National Green Corps (NGC) — tree plantation, waste management, biodiversity audits outside the formal grading system.

02

Nature Camps & Wilderness Training

Immersive outdoor programmes fostering deep appreciation for local flora and fauna by taking individuals into natural settings.

03

Citizen Science Initiatives

Public collaborates with scientists on data collection (bird counts, water quality monitoring), democratising environmental research.

04

Community-Based Conservation Workshops

Sessions for farmers and indigenous groups on sustainable agriculture, water harvesting and traditional ecological knowledge.

Formal vs Non-Formal Environmental Education

Dimension

Formal EE

Non-Formal EE

Setting

Schools, Colleges, Universities

Community centres, outdoors, media

Audience

Students (age-specific)

General public, all ages

Structure

Prescribed curriculum & credits

Flexible, needs-based

Delivery

Classroom & laboratory

Workshops, camps, campaigns

Outcome

Degrees & academic credentials

Awareness, behaviour change

Duration

Fixed academic terms

Short-term to lifelong

Both modes are complementary — formal EE builds foundational knowledge; non-formal EE drives real-world behavioural change.

Impact & Future Directions in Environmental Education

Green Economy Readiness

EE graduates enter sustainability, conservation policy, and environmental consulting sectors.

Climate Literacy

Mass EE campaigns have raised measurable public climate awareness and behaviour change across demographics.

SDG Alignment

EE directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals — particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Looking Ahead

Integration of digital technology and AI in EE delivery

Interdisciplinary PhD & research programmes in EE

Indigenous ecological knowledge as curriculum core

Global citizen science networks at scale

Key Takeaways

1

EE is an established academic discipline — not a supplementary activity.

2

Its interdisciplinary nature is a strength, synthesising sciences, social sciences and humanities.

3

The Tbilisi Declaration's 6 objectives remain the global standard, moving learners to active participation.

4

Non-formal EE — through NGOs, government bodies, zoos and community programmes — reaches where schools cannot.

5

Together, formal and non-formal EE are essential tools for building a sustainable, ecologically literate world.

"The Earth does not belong to us — we belong to the Earth."