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Table 15.1 Examples of environmental rights and duties
Environmental rights and duties
Right to life and to a pure environment for every human being
Public access on environmental data and information (Aarhus convention)
Practice the right for public participation
Public access to justice
Good environmental governance
Need for environmental impact assessment and strategic
Environmental assessment documentation
Public consultation
Obligation not to cause environmental impacts
Inter- and intra-generational equity
The polluter pays principle
Applying the precautionary principle
Applying the subsidiarity principle
15.2.8 Structural Causes of Environmental Problems
Environmental degradation is a result of the dynamic inter play of socio-economic,
institutional and technological activities. Environmental changes may be driven by
many factors including economic growth, population growth, urbanisation, intensification of agriculture, rising energy use and transportation. Barry (2005) argues
strongly about the importance of civic engagement with the structural causes of
environmental degradation and destruction. According to the same scholar, it is not
enough for the citizen only to try to solve an environmental problem or to restore a
degraded environment. An Environmental Citizen is also required to be able to identify the structural causes of the environmental problem and work adequately and
democratically to address them.
The EEC Model highlights the importance of helping students understand the
structural and systemic causes of contemporary environmental and social problems.
The political responsibility for citizens is to promote structural changes, for instance
through active participation in deliberations on the values that ought to guide society and policy making (Achterberg 2002; Barry 1999). It is suggested that environmental issues need to be re-politicized such that the underlying structural and
institutional drivers of these problems are highlighted.
15.2.9 Civic Participation
Fundamental for Education for Environmental Citizenship is the civic participation
of students. Education for Environmental Citizenship should empower students
with the skills or competencies necessary to take part in collective actions, participatory processes and critical and active civic engagement. This type of civic
15 Education for Environmental Citizenship: The Pedagogical Approach
Table 15.1 Examples of environmental rights and duties
Environmental rights and duties
Right to life and to a pure environment for every human being
Public access on environmental data and information (Aarhus convention)
Practice the right for public participation
Public access to justice
Good environmental governance
Need for environmental impact assessment and strategic
Environmental assessment documentation
Public consultation
Obligation not to cause environmental impacts
Inter- and intra-generational equity
The polluter pays principle
Applying the precautionary principle
Applying the subsidiarity principle
15.2.8 Structural Causes of Environmental Problems
Environmental degradation is a result of the dynamic inter play of socio-economic,
institutional and technological activities. Environmental changes may be driven by
many factors including economic growth, population growth, urbanisation, intensification of agriculture, rising energy use and transportation. Barry (2005) argues
strongly about the importance of civic engagement with the structural causes of
environmental degradation and destruction. According to the same scholar, it is not
enough for the citizen only to try to solve an environmental problem or to restore a
degraded environment. An Environmental Citizen is also required to be able to identify the structural causes of the environmental problem and work adequately and
democratically to address them.
The EEC Model highlights the importance of helping students understand the
structural and systemic causes of contemporary environmental and social problems.
The political responsibility for citizens is to promote structural changes, for instance
through active participation in deliberations on the values that ought to guide society and policy making (Achterberg 2002; Barry 1999). It is suggested that environmental issues need to be re-politicized such that the underlying structural and
institutional drivers of these problems are highlighted.
15.2.9 Civic Participation
Fundamental for Education for Environmental Citizenship is the civic participation
of students. Education for Environmental Citizenship should empower students
with the skills or competencies necessary to take part in collective actions, participatory processes and critical and active civic engagement. This type of civic
15 Education for Environmental Citizenship: The Pedagogical Approach