The Politics of EU towards Environmental Education and Sustainable Development

Year 2022, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 944 - 962, 30.06.2022

Filiz Cicioğlu , Nurbanu Bulgur

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1031172

Abstract

Although there are many ways to overcome environmental problems, the threat of climate change and resource depletion, which has become a global problem, forces countries to make common policies. However, some economic costs that occur at the same time prevent countries from adopting sustainable environmental policies. Therefore, this article, which emphasizes environmental education, includes examples of cooperation between countries on environmental protection and sustainable development.
Environmental policies and development policies in the member states of the European Union are also among the subjects to be examined. In this way, the level of environmental policy in countries with different foreign policy priorities could be observed. The EU, which has rapidly developed its environmental policies with the effect of globalization, sets an example in this regard. Therefore, the research, it is aimed to discuss the place of environmental protection policies in the education system in European Union (EU) countries.
It is seen that the current education system does not adequately focus on climate change. It has been determined that the environmental policies carried out to overcome the negative effects of environmental problems cannot be integrated into the education system or their sustainability cannot be ensured. If it is desired to have environmentally sensitive societies: It is important to improve the curriculum and analyze the international repercussions of climate challenges on education. Indeed, education is one of the most important stages of this informing process.
In this article, “globalization” will also be discussed together with the EU's environmental policy and education system. Furthermore, it will be analyzed which subjects are included in the curriculum and what the differences are between European countries. There are three main titles in this study in which qualitative research method is preferred: “Introduction”, “The Effects of The Globalization on Environmental Problem”, “Environmental Education in EU and Sustainable Development”.
As a result, in the light of the information obtained, it is seen that the effort to integrate the environmental policies of the European Union into the education system in economic, social, and political life dimensions continues. Considering the EU's 2030 and 2050 sustainable development goals; in addition to a sustainable environmental education policy, investments should be made in sustainable energy and sustainable urbanization policies.

Keywords

Globalization, Education, Environmental Challenges, Climate Change, EU

AB'nin Çevre Eğitimi ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınmaya Yönelik Siyaseti

Abstract

Çevre sorunlarının üstesinden gelmenin birçok yolu olmasına rağmen, küresel bir sorun haline gelen iklim değişikliği ve kaynak tükenmesi tehlikesi ülkeleri ortak politikalar yapmaya zorlamaktadır. Ancak aynı zamanda oluşan bazı ekonomik maliyetler de ülkeleri sürdürülebilir çevre politikalarından alıkoymaktadır. Dolayısıyla çevre eğitimine vurgu yapan bu makalede ülkelerin çevre koruma ve sürdürülebilir kalkınma konusunda iş birliği örneklerine yer verilmektedir. Avrupa Birliği’ne üye ülkelerdeki çevre politikaları ve kalkınma politikaları da incelenecek konular arasında yer almaktadır. Bu sayede farklı dış politika önceliklerine sahip ülkelerdeki çevre politikasının düzeyi gözlemlenebilmiştir.
Küreselleşmenin de etkisiyle çevre politikalarını hızla geliştiren AB, bu konuda bir örnek teşkil etmektedir. Dolayısıyla araştırmada, Avrupa Birliği (AB) ülkelerinde çevre koruma politikalarının eğitim sistemindeki yerinin tartışılması amaçlanmaktadır.
Mevcut eğitim sisteminin iklim değişikliğine yeterince odaklanmadığı görülmektedir. Çevre sorunlarının olumsuz etkilerinin üstesinden gelmek adına yürütülen çevre politikalarının, eğitim sistemine entegre edilemediği ya da sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlanamadığı tespit edilmiştir. Çevreye duyarlı toplumlara sahip olmak isteniyorsa, müfredatın daha iyi hale getirilmesi ve iklim zorluklarının eğitim üzerindeki uluslararası yansımalarının analiz edilmesi önemlidir. Nitekim eğitim bu bilgilendirme sürecinin en önemli aşamalarındandır.
Bu makalede; AB'nin çevre politikası ve eğitim sistemi ile birlikte “küreselleşme” de tartışılacaktır. Ayrıca, müfredata hangi konuların dâhil edildiği ve Avrupa ülkeleri arasındaki farkların neler olduğu analiz edilecektir. Nitel araştırma yönteminin tercih edildiği bu çalışmada üç ana başlık bulunmaktadır; “Giriş”, “Küreselleşmenin Çevre Sorununa Etkileri”, “AB'de Çevre Eğitimi ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma”.
Sonuç olarak elde edilen bilgiler ışığında Avrupa Birliği'nin çevre politikalarının ekonomik, sosyal ve politik yaşam boyutlarında eğitim sistemine entegre edilmesi çabalarının devam ettiği görülmektedir. AB'nin 2030 ve 2050 sürdürülebilir kalkınma hedefleri göz önüne alındığında; sürdürülebilir bir çevre eğitim politikasının yanı sıra sürdürülebilir enerji ve sürdürülebilir kentleşme politikalarına da yatırımlar yapılmalıdır.

Keywords

Küreselleşme, Eğitim, Çevresel Sorunlar, İklim Değişikliği, AB

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