Increasing “environmental literacy” of adults, by strengthening the capacity of local communities through active environmental education and fostering communication with policymakers.
Context
In the face of environmental challenges such as global warming, pollution, urban sprawl, deforestation and loss of biodiversity which increasingly jeopardise the life of living beings on our planet, the need to raise awareness of environment related challenges among people has now become urgent.
In such a context, adult education plays a critical role in preparing citizens for the future living and in encouraging them to take individual responsibility for protecting the whole communities they live in, in response to global challenges.
Environmental education and awareness-raising for adults can empower informed decision-making, play an essential role in increasing adaptation capacities of communities, and empower women and men to adopt sustainable lifestyles.
Objectives
- To increase opportunities of disadvantaged adults to engage with their communities in environmental & climate actions.
- To develop an open e-learning programme for adult educators and a set of resources aimed at increasing eco-consciousness among adults and community engagement for the environment.
- To encourage a shared decision-making process and co-design of environmental policies.
- To ensure wide and sustainable access to GEA results among adult learners, educators, CSOs & policy-makers.
Activities
- Participatory field-study, complementing a desk-based research on citizen science, environmental challenges and actions, conveyed in GEA Interactive report.
- Development and delivery of the GEA e-learning programme, empowering adult educators to promote community-based environmental action.
- Delivery of an environmental awareness-action with disadvantaged adults, using GEA Sustainability kit.
- Set-up of local environmental committees and development of an innovative co-designed policy initiative booklet.
Resources
- Interactive report
- E-learning kit
- Sustainability kit
- Co-designed policy initiatives booklet
- Digital brochure
- Newsletter
Impact
- Enhanced ability of adult learners and adult educator to engage in climate actions with their communities.
- Improved ability of adult educators to strengthen environmental awareness among adults in their local context, combining non formal education including citizen science approaches.
- Strengthened eco-consciousness, individual responsibility and critical thinking among adults.
- Encouraged shared decision-making process, based on the active involvement of policy-makers and community representatives.
Partners
- CESIE (Italy, coordinator)
- EUROGEO (Belgium)
- Symplexis (Greece)
- Cuiablue OÜ (Estonia)
- BUPNET (Germany)
- Eco Logic (Macedonia)
- Xwhy (UAB Theoria) (Lithuania)
