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saving energy in the household, responsible waste disposal (non-littering, recycling)
and transport, travel behaviour and the maintenance of household equipment. Public
sphere behaviours, according to Stern, influence the environment rather indirectly
through politics and policies which makes their impacts crucial. He assigns these
behaviours to a continuum, ranging from more passive actions such as willingness
to pay environmental taxes and passive policy support to more active behaviours
such as voting, making a donation or being member of an environmental association. More activist forms, such as campaigning and lobbying, making links with
decision-makers, taking part in a demonstrations, attending meetings and providing
support by being there, voluntarism, taking part in decision-making and being
involved in local politics, are also behaviours.
In addition, people also exert substantial influences via their actions as members,
employees or representatives of organisations. For example, students can join green
campus initiatives, and employees in a company can develop and enact ‘green’ processes in their company, including the purchase of environmentally responsible
products. Being a good Environmental Citizen in the private sphere can move others
to take the same path, but individual action should not displace or replace political,
organisational and/or institutional ones (Plotica 2019).
10.4 Competencies That Need to Be Promoted by Education
for Environmental Citizenship
The European reference framework on key competences for lifelong learning (EU
2006) proposed that young people should be helped in developing social and civic
competences, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes, during their school
education. The European framework also demands greater opportunities for students to actively participate in, for example, school-based activities with employers,
youth groups, cultural activities and civil society organisations (De Coster
et al. 2012).
An Environmental Citizen should have a knowledge of basic democratic concepts including an understanding of society and social and political movements and
major social developments, both past and present. This citizen also requires critical
thinking and communication skills and the willingness to participate constructively
in the public domain. The sense of belonging to society at various levels is key for
Education for Environmental Citizenship. One of the most important Education for
Environmental Citizenship aims is preparing students for environmental protection
engagement with repercussions at social and economic levels. Education for
Environmental Citizenship needs to be efficient to ensure that students have the
necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute to the development and wellbeing of the society in which they live.
Environmental Citizenship Education takes into consideration the main four
aspects outlined in the Tbilisi Declaration (1977) but with a more contemporary
10 Education for Environmental Citizenship and Education for Sustainability
saving energy in the household, responsible waste disposal (non-littering, recycling)
and transport, travel behaviour and the maintenance of household equipment. Public
sphere behaviours, according to Stern, influence the environment rather indirectly
through politics and policies which makes their impacts crucial. He assigns these
behaviours to a continuum, ranging from more passive actions such as willingness
to pay environmental taxes and passive policy support to more active behaviours
such as voting, making a donation or being member of an environmental association. More activist forms, such as campaigning and lobbying, making links with
decision-makers, taking part in a demonstrations, attending meetings and providing
support by being there, voluntarism, taking part in decision-making and being
involved in local politics, are also behaviours.
In addition, people also exert substantial influences via their actions as members,
employees or representatives of organisations. For example, students can join green
campus initiatives, and employees in a company can develop and enact ‘green’ processes in their company, including the purchase of environmentally responsible
products. Being a good Environmental Citizen in the private sphere can move others
to take the same path, but individual action should not displace or replace political,
organisational and/or institutional ones (Plotica 2019).
10.4 Competencies That Need to Be Promoted by Education
for Environmental Citizenship
The European reference framework on key competences for lifelong learning (EU
2006) proposed that young people should be helped in developing social and civic
competences, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes, during their school
education. The European framework also demands greater opportunities for students to actively participate in, for example, school-based activities with employers,
youth groups, cultural activities and civil society organisations (De Coster
et al. 2012).
An Environmental Citizen should have a knowledge of basic democratic concepts including an understanding of society and social and political movements and
major social developments, both past and present. This citizen also requires critical
thinking and communication skills and the willingness to participate constructively
in the public domain. The sense of belonging to society at various levels is key for
Education for Environmental Citizenship. One of the most important Education for
Environmental Citizenship aims is preparing students for environmental protection
engagement with repercussions at social and economic levels. Education for
Environmental Citizenship needs to be efficient to ensure that students have the
necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute to the development and wellbeing of the society in which they live.
Environmental Citizenship Education takes into consideration the main four
aspects outlined in the Tbilisi Declaration (1977) but with a more contemporary
10 Education for Environmental Citizenship and Education for Sustainability