Environment Education & Awareness 

Education has been the utmost prority of any civilized society since the ages and will remain same for all eternity.  The rise and fall of the human race depends largely on the quality of education being provided through the available modes and agencies. Environmental Education is a process of recognising values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and added tools necessary to understand and appreciate the inter-relationship among man, his culture and his bio-physical surrounding. It creates an overall perspective, which acknowledges the fact that natural environment and man-made environment are interdependent.  Its main objective is to improve public awareness and understanding of environmental issues with a view to promote the conservation and wide use of nature and natural resources.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests(MoEF), Govt. of India,  has been interacting with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), NCERT, State Departments of Education etc. to ensure that environmental components are adequately covered at the school levels by infusion into the school curricula at various levels, . The Ministry has also  taken an initiative  to educate people through a structural course on environment education   and it presently working out a frame work for environmental appreciation courses in consultation with IGNOU.(Source: MoEF). 

In Punjab, the environment education at the Primary school in the state is adequate, where the syllabus designed by Punjab State Education Board is based on NCERT syllabus.  For the primary classes, a project " Environment Education in school system " has been undertaken by Punjab education Department, which is been implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India with the financial aid from the World Bank .Various activities are being undertaken to strengthen the Environment Education, which includes the development of Educational material like Greening of Books  of classes VI, VII and VIII (Hindi, Punjabi, Science & Social studies),development of Environment Education programs & also Trainings are being organised for educational administrators , Teachers & NGO's. However, at higher level, including college and university levels, environment education needs to be strengthened. 

Environmental Education, Awareness and Training plays a significant role in encouraging and enhancing people's participation in activities aimed at conservation, protection and management of the environment, essential for achieving sustainable development. Non formal education in the state is also being prompted by the department of environment through PSCST and Punjab Pollution Control Board. Under this Program, important environment days are celebrated from time to time, environmental workshop are conducted and competition, seminars, lectures and Public camps on Environment awareness are organised. A number of NGOs of the state have been actively participating in National Environment Awareness campaign organized by MoEF, GoI.  A programme of raising ‘National Green Corps’ through the Eco clubs is also progressing very efficiently in the state. There are 17 eco clubs in the state.