Environment-education: An interface for responsible societies-perspectives from Meghalaya

Environmental education is challenged with the stipulation of regurgitating and redefining its aim and ascertain its forte in a macro educational endeavor, whose practicalities have to be refurbished in the contextual ties of the progression and of being accountable to the populace.

Sustainable Development (SD) necessitates an amalgamation of economic, social and environmental attitude and consideration towards development and enhancement of human civilization. In this entire process, education, dispersal of awareness and relevant info has always played a positively developmental and integrating role.

This paper attempts to explore the ‘Education-Environment Interface’ in the SD paradigm and it also aims at presenting the current context in Meghalaya whose capital Shillong is still known as the ‘Scotland of the East’.

What is required are regular deliberations and continuous dialogue leading to the generation of awareness, development of an integrated knowledge base on environment, mobilization of communities and also developing a viable roadmap en route for utilizing education as a potent instrument regarding protecting environment and ultimately working towards issues of SD in Meghalaya.

The paper is based on available literature and secondary data. The paper is divided in four parts.

I. Introduction is the first part that deals with the concept of sustainable development, its core principles and its implications for the communities and the socio-political arrangement in general.

II. Education as an Integrative Variable in Global Environmental Edification is discussed in the second part of the paper.

III. The third part of the paper provides a state specific perspective and a ringside view of the current environmental issues in Meghalaya.

IV. The fourth part of the paper attempts a suggestion for Integrating education and environment for responsible living and societies with seats of higher learning as the focal point in collaboration with other stake-holders.