The issue addressed in the following study is how to plan for effective environmental education/education for sustainable development with an attempt at adopting an integrated approach to planning specific programs of study within the subject of geography. This model will be based on three core threads mentioned in literature surrounding environmental education with a bid to use complimentary learning processes. An analysis of practice will then help evaluate its effectiveness at reaching the fundamental aim of helping students understand, appreciate and care for the environment. .
The rationale behind this is as follows: environmental issues have become more prominent in the public eye over the last decade with everyone, from major international businesses to individual households being concerned about becoming sustainable, reducing their carbon footprint and so on. Recently speculations about dropping climate change from the National Curriculum have put Environmental Education back in the spotlight. Last year the Guardian newspaper published an article quoting David Attenborough, who, in relation to environmental education observes that 'Climate change and habitat destruction are problems facing our generation and those of our children. In order to equip the next generation to face these problems, it is crucial that children grow up with an understanding and respect for our planet' He went on to mention the enormous power teachers have in influencing thoughts and actions in their students, in turn motivating a sense of responsibility to safeguard it. This significance of this viewpoint indicate the need for a deeper understanding of the issues and concerns surrounding environmental education in order to teach it efficiently and to harness this power to its full potential. .
Analysis of Literature.
The initial question proposed when inquiring into EE theory is: what is it and what purpose does it serve? This question arises as there are numerous definitions associated with the term 'environmental education.