THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND BUILDING CITIZENSHIP

Abstract

Faced with the current panorama of society and the environment, which is in a growing crisis regarding environmental degradation and social inequalities, the search for solutions is essential. Thus, environmental education can be seen as a basic tool for breaking social paradigms, promoting sustainability and building citizenship. Through a bibliographical survey, this work sought to approach themes related to Environmental Education, sustainability and citizenship. The qualitative approach allowed relating the concepts and highlighting the importance of Environmental Education to combat the environmental crisis in society. The results obtained made it possible to identify the main causes of environmental problems and the main obstacles to the necessary social changes, in the mesosphere, macrosphere and microsphere. Not least important, the discussion on the themes made it possible to analyze alternatives for improvements in Environmental Education and the training of socio-environmental agents capable of instituting behavioral changes in communities. It was then concluded that Environmental Education should be the basis for the transformation of Western societies into sustainable societies, through the training of ecological subjects, environmental educators and through regular education institutions, in order to develop in citizens an awareness and responsibility environmental, even before the emergence of environmental problems caused by human actions, which implies changes in the style and quality of life of the population as an exercise of their citizenship, so it is substantial that there is a set of integrated political, economic and social actions.