general the term biodiversity is more related to natural sciences while conservation is
part of the ethical-social discourse. Thus, also BCE requires the contribution of
various disciplines.
Modern concepts such as EE, ESD, and BCE have to respect, disentangle and
analyze extremely complex problem areas including gaps of knowledge. EE and
ESD promote multiple and sometimes competing goals. Furthermore, due to the
holistic approach, the targets of ESD are partially ambiguous, while BCE is related
to smaller and clearer targets.
Since many environment-related education approaches are interdisciplinary if not
holistic, school curricula of traditional core disciplines often do not provide enough
space for relating contributions.
Independent of the different positions and phases, the enlargement and intensification of environmental education in public schools and media is seen as an
important measure parallel to political decisions and practical management of
ecosystems.
Keywords Environmental education (EE) · Education for sustainable development
(ESD) · Biodiversity conservation education (BCE)
1 Introduction
Environmental education (EE) is a modern concept, which emerged in the twentieth
century. William Stapp (1969, 31) provided one of the first definitions:
Environmental education is aimed at producing a citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning
the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to help solve these
problems, and motivated to work toward their solution.
In the following decades, many international conferences developed this concept
even further and created a basis for integrating EE, and later for education for
sustainable development (ESD). General ideas have been dispersed not only in the
world’s educational systems but also in the everyday life of people. To reach the
public, conference communication via mass media is seen as an essential part
(e.g. United Nations 1972; UNEP and UNESCO 1978; IUCN, UNEP, WWF
1980), because “[a]n information campaign can make individuals aware of their
responsibility for the environment” (Gomis and Hesselink 1995, p. 29).
Environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD)
are relatively modern concepts. This contribution aims to offer an overview about
historical relationships between nature, knowledge of environmental processes,
culture and environmental communication and education. Cultural episodes from
different epochs may be interpreted as stepping stones to the development of modern
communication and education about the environment. The examples deal with topics
like, inter alia, nature, astronomy, medicine, hygiene, and waste management.
It can be assumed that people observed their surroundings, thought about nature,
communicated about benefits and danger from nature and reflected their own
reaction at all times. It was important to know which natural products could be
History of Environmental Communication and Education
45
part of the ethical-social discourse. Thus, also BCE requires the contribution of
various disciplines.
Modern concepts such as EE, ESD, and BCE have to respect, disentangle and
analyze extremely complex problem areas including gaps of knowledge. EE and
ESD promote multiple and sometimes competing goals. Furthermore, due to the
holistic approach, the targets of ESD are partially ambiguous, while BCE is related
to smaller and clearer targets.
Since many environment-related education approaches are interdisciplinary if not
holistic, school curricula of traditional core disciplines often do not provide enough
space for relating contributions.
Independent of the different positions and phases, the enlargement and intensification of environmental education in public schools and media is seen as an
important measure parallel to political decisions and practical management of
ecosystems.
Keywords Environmental education (EE) · Education for sustainable development
(ESD) · Biodiversity conservation education (BCE)
1 Introduction
Environmental education (EE) is a modern concept, which emerged in the twentieth
century. William Stapp (1969, 31) provided one of the first definitions:
Environmental education is aimed at producing a citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning
the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to help solve these
problems, and motivated to work toward their solution.
In the following decades, many international conferences developed this concept
even further and created a basis for integrating EE, and later for education for
sustainable development (ESD). General ideas have been dispersed not only in the
world’s educational systems but also in the everyday life of people. To reach the
public, conference communication via mass media is seen as an essential part
(e.g. United Nations 1972; UNEP and UNESCO 1978; IUCN, UNEP, WWF
1980), because “[a]n information campaign can make individuals aware of their
responsibility for the environment” (Gomis and Hesselink 1995, p. 29).
Environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD)
are relatively modern concepts. This contribution aims to offer an overview about
historical relationships between nature, knowledge of environmental processes,
culture and environmental communication and education. Cultural episodes from
different epochs may be interpreted as stepping stones to the development of modern
communication and education about the environment. The examples deal with topics
like, inter alia, nature, astronomy, medicine, hygiene, and waste management.
It can be assumed that people observed their surroundings, thought about nature,
communicated about benefits and danger from nature and reflected their own
reaction at all times. It was important to know which natural products could be
History of Environmental Communication and Education
45