BASIC

CONCEPTS AND
LAWS
GOVERNING
ENVIRONMENTA
L EDUCATION
DEFINITION
 Environmental Education refers to
organized efforts to teach about how
natural environment function and
particularly how human beings can
manage their behavior and ecosystems in
order to live sustainably.
IMPORTANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
1. All major natural resources in the country are in grave danger of irreparable damage;
2. A society cannot survive if its natural resources are rendered unfit for use by its people;
3. The only hope of salvaging this grave situation is by making the young aware that they
need to proactively begin to protect the environment they will inherit;
4. Science and Technology can help in a limited way but cannot deliver it;
5. It is a moral and ethical education for changing people’s attitude;
6. To protect children living in polluted regions, environmental education represents a relevant
means of prevention
IMPORTANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
7. It is a need of the time to propose environmental education delivered with moral concept;
8. It is conceived to sustain participation of the citizens especially the youth particularly in
combating ill effects of climate change.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
1. Natures knows best.
Humans have to understand nature and
have to abide by the rules nature dictates.
In essence, one must not go against the
natural processes if one would like to
ensure a continuous and steady supply of
resources.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
2. All forms of life are important.
Each organism plays a fundamental role in
nature. Since such occupational or
functional position, otherwise known as
niche, cannot be simultaneously occupied
by more than once specie, it is apparent
that all living things must be considered as
invaluable in the maintenance of
homeostasis in the ecosystem.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
3. Everything is connected to everything
else.
This principle is best exemplified by the
concept of the ecosystem. In an ecosystem,
all biotic and amniotic components interact
with each other to ensure that the system is
perpetuated. Any outside interference may
result in an imbalance and the deterioration
of the system.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
4. Everything Changes.
The environment is constantly changing.
Organisms also evolve through time.
However, human technology has affected
these natural changes often to a problematic
extent. Although mutation is a natural
change, pesticides have induced insect
mutations, which are not matched by natural
checks and balances.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
5. Everything must go somewhere.

What a particular type of waste does to the

earth’s repository should be of concern to us.
It may be a pollutant or a resource depending
on certain factors.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
6. Ours is a finite earth.
Our population and our use of the finite
resources of planet Earth are growing
exponentially along with our technical
ability to change the environment for
good or ill.
7 ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of
God’s creation.
This principle is inherent in all religious and
tribal beliefs. Teachings of Christianity,
Buddhism, and Islam enjoin everyone to respect
all life and the order of nature.

Being the most intelligent and gifted with reason,

humans are capable of manipulating creation to
their own advantage. Yet, creation exists not to
be ravaged or abused but to be taken cared of.
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
 any change in climate over time whether due to
natural processes or as a result of human activity;
 maybe attributed directly or indirectly to human
activity that alters the composition of the global
atmosphere and which is, in addition to natural
climate variability, observed over comparable time
periods (United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change).
HOW DOES IT OCCUR?
 Caused by the increasing volume of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere;
 Greenhouse Gases are gases that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, warming the earth’s
surface and contributing to climate change (UNEP 1988);
 These gases are water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone,
hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride;
 When these gases increase in volume, more solar heat will be trapped resulting to a warmer
atmospheric condition;
 Known as the “greenhouse effect”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAbATJCugs
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF
GLOBAL WARMING?
 Results in the melting of snow covers and glaciers
 Rise of sea level
 Shorter winters
 Early Springs
 Hotter summers
 Delayed coming of autumns
 Altered forest productivity
 Forest productivity and composition
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF
GLOBAL WARMING?
 Habitat shifts of some animals
 Changes in the behavior patterns of flora and fauna
 Spread of diseases
 Stronger and more frequent typhoons
 More floods
 Severe droughts
 Stronger heat waves
 Heavier rains and more
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF
GLOBAL WARMING?
Socio-economic problems and difficulties is
amplified compounding the already heavy burden of
the poor sectors.
Agriculture become less or non-productive due to
droughts and flooding
RECENT FACTS
 The Philippines is ranked 4th in the global Climate Risk Index;
 Being archipelagic, 15 regions are vulnerable to sea level rise;
 A meter rise in sea level will affect 64 out of 81 provinces in the Philippines;
 Sea water would cover at least 703 of 1,610 towns and close to 700 million square meters of
land could displaced at least 1.5 million Filipinos;
WHAT CAN BE DONE
LOCALLY?
1. Reduce the sources of green house gas emissions or enhance their sink or capture
(Mitigation).
2. Moderate the harmful effects of climate change and exploit its beneficial opportunities
(Adaptation).
3. Support or join awareness raising of people in your locality/ community about climate
change.
4. Carry out concrete disaster prevention, mitigation and management activities (Capacity
Building).
5. Suggest or advocate the integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation into
organizational/ institutional plans to mainstream this consciousness.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
LOCALLY?
6. Lobby for and/ or support climate change responsive policies and ordinances (Policy
Development).
7. Synergize efforts with other enlightened individual or group stakeholders.
8. Develop a stable resource mobilization mechanism or system to ensure and facilitate the
flow of financial and technical support to local implementers.
The earth can thrive without human beings….. but we human cannot survive without mother
earth’s abundance. It is our joint responsibility to protect and nurture mother nature.
SRLA