iREEC 2019: 1st International Conference of

International Researchers of the

Education for Environmental Citizenship 2019

International Conference:

Environmental Citizenship is a key factor in EU’s growth strategy (Europe 2020) and EU’s vision for Sustainable Development, Green and Cycle economy and Low-carbon society (EU-roadmap 2050). Environmental Citizenship has been an influential concept in many different arenas such as economy, policy, philosophy, organizations’ management, leadership and marketing and could be better exploited and established furthermore in education. Environmental Citizenship is recognized as an important aspect in addressing global environmental problems such as climate change (Stern et al., 2011; Ockwell et al., 2009), whilst providing support to pro-environmental organizations and individuals, contributing also to public pressure for political action (signing petitions, writing to politicians and newspapers).

Education has a lot to contribute in adopting and promoting Environmental Citizenship. The under-explored (until now) potential for pro-environmental behavior change through Environmental Citizenship should be more emphasized (Dobson, 2010) and can contribute greatly to a more sustainable world. Education for Environmental Citizenship (EEC) has a lot to contribute to this direction. In other words, Environmental Citizenship is about empowering people to develop their knowledge, competencies and dispositions necessary for responsible environmental engagement and civic participation. The European Network for Environmental Citizenship (ENEC), which is active in 37 countries, was established to promote theoretical and applied understanding of the Education for Environmental Citizenship and provides the following definition of EEC:

“Education for Environmental Citizenship” (EEC) is defined as the type of education which cultivates a coherent and adequate body of knowledge as well as the necessary skills, values, attitudes and competences that an environmental citizen should be equipped with in order to be able to act and participate in society as an agent of change in the private and public sphere, on a local, national and global scale, through individual and collective actions, in the direction of solving contemporary environmental problems, preventing the creation of new environmental problems, in achieving sustainability as well as developing a healthy relationship with nature. “Education for Environmental Citizenship” (EEC) is important to empower citizens to exercise their environmental rights and duties, as well as to identify the underlying structural causes of environmental degradation and environmental problems, develop the willingness and the competences for critical and active engagement and civic participation to address those structural causes, acting individually and collectively within democratic means and taking into account the inter- and intra-generational justice (ENEC 2018)^[1].

Education for Environmental Citizenship can be examined in different educational levels such as primary and secondary education and in different educational settings such as formal and non-formal education. In the iREEC 2019 international conference, the different ways and educational approaches with which Environmental Citizenship can be promoted will be emphasized.

The iREEC 2019 is an international conference in which original research papers, theoretical papers and reports from throughout the world dealing with the Education for Environmental Citizenship in all levels (pre-primary, primary, lower-secondary, upper-secondary, tertiary, higher education) and all settings-formalities (formal, non-formal, informal education) can be presented. The purpose of the iREEC 2019 is to contribute advance understanding of environmental and sustainability education through a focus on research works examining and promoting environmental citizenship through education. Multidisciplinary research and approaches combining environmental education, sustainability education, science education and citizenship education are also accepted.

iREEC 2019 International Conference Aims to:

Present research on scientific and educational activities that exemplify developments toward achieving environmental citizenship.
Emphasize educational research which focus to empower citizens to exercise their environmental rights and duties, to identify the underlying structural causes of environmental degradation, as well as to develop the competences for critical and active engagement and civic participation.
Conduct scientific dialogue on educational challenges deriving from the theoretical foundations of environmental citizenship (as a field that integrates knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and competences) and demonstrate how these are addressed in formal and non-formal education.
Promote and support best practices that cultivate the type of values, attitudes, skills and competences that an environmental citizen should be equipped with in order to act and participate in society as an agent of change.

Location: Málaga (Hotel Eurostars) and Antequera ( Hotel La Magdalena)

Local Sponsors