Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical, biological and information sciences (including ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, mineralogy, oceanology, limnology, soil science, geology, atmospheric science, and geodesy) to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the
Enlightenment.[1]
Today it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.[2]
Related areas of study include environmental studies and environmental engineering.
Environmental studies incorporates more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment.
Environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect.
Environmental scientists work on subjects like the understanding of earth processes, evaluating alternative energy systems, pollution control and mitigation, natural resource management, and the effects of global climate change.
Environmental issues almost always include an interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Environmental scientists bring a systems approach to the analysis of environmental problems.
Key elements of an effective environmental scientist include the ability to relate space, and time relationships as well as quantitative analysis.
Environmental science came alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the
1960s and
1970s driven by (a) the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze complex environmental problems, (b) the arrival of substantive environmental laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation and (c) the growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems. Events that spurred this development included the publication of
Rachel Carson's landmark environmental book
Silent Spring[3] along with major environmental issues becoming very public, such as the
1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, and the
Cuyahoga River of
Cleveland, Ohio, "catching fire" (also in
1969), and helped increase the visibility of environmental issues and create this new field of study.
Environmental studies is a multidisciplinary academic field – which systematically studies human interaction with the environment in the interests of solving complex problems. Environmental studies brings together the principles of sciences, commerce/ economics and social sciences so as to solve contemporary environmental problems. It is a broad field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them.[1] The field encompasses study in basic principles of ecology and environmental science, as well as associated subjects such as ethics, geography, policy, politics, law, economics, philosophy, environmental sociology and environmental justice, planning, pollution control and natural resource management
Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments
function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography. The term often implies education within the school system, from primary to post-secondary. However, it sometimes includes all efforts to educate the public and other audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc
..
Environmental Education (EE) is the teaching
of individuals, and communities, in transitioning to a society that is knowledgeable of the environment and its associated problems, aware of the solutions to these problems, and motivated to solve them [6].
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (
UNESCO) states that EE is vital in imparting an inherent respect for nature amongst society and in enhancing public environmental awareness. UNESCO emphasises the role of EE in safeguarding future global developments of societal quality of life (
QOL), through the protection of the environment, eradication of poverty, minimization of inequalities and insurance of sustainable development (UNESCO, 2014a).
Science, technology, society and environment (STSE) education, originates from the science technology and society (
STS) movement in science education. This is an outlook on science education that emphasizes the teaching of scientific and technological developments in their cultural, economic, social and political contexts. In this view of science education, students are encouraged to engage in issues pertaining to the impact of science on everyday life and make responsible decisions about how to address such issues (
Solomon,
1993 and Aikenhead,
1994)
- published: 27 Apr 2016
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