Awareness of the importance of the environment has grown substantially over the last three decades, along with a greater attention to environmental problems. Fears about man's impact on the natura! environment, threats to the existence of many species, the influence of the built environment on the quality of life, the role of modern technology in both causing and tackling pollution, growing concern about energy needs and resources-all these are now common topics of press and public debate.
The corresponding growth in public interest in environmental education can be gauged in part from the number of organisations in the United Kingdom, voluntary and statutory, which are concerned with it to a greater or lesser extent. International recognition of its importance has been demonstrated at a number of conferences over the last 20 years. That held at Tbilisi, USSR, in October 1977, was at intergovernmental level and raised issues for the consideration of all participating countries.
The education service has long accommodated many of the components of environmental understanding within traditional curricular subjects, but the emergence of an identifiable category of environmental education has been comparatively recent. This booklet, prepared by the Department of Education and Science (DES), in close cooperation with members of HM Inspectorate and in consultation with other government departments and interested bodies, is an attempt to indicate some of the thinking and developments that have taken place. It is a companion to Environmental education: sources of information 1981.
The present booklet includes a consideration of the philosophy of environmental education, an outline of what is already going on (in and outside the education system), an international perspective derived largely from the Tbilisi conference, and some appraisal of current United Kingdom activity in the light of the conference recommendations, together with an indication of possible further developments. It is hoped that it will both inform and be a contribution to further discussion.
