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Environmental education and awareness programmes
Effective implementation of coastal management and
conservation programmes depends on the full
support of local actors, which depends on a
certain level of education, awareness raising
and training in the relevant areas. Education
and awareness raising have been identified in
Agenda 21 as keay areas for working towards
sustainable development. Once awareness is raised,
the necessary values and attitudes, skills and
behaviour can be developed.
Environmental education
is a learning process that increases people’s
knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated
challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise
to address the challenges, fosters attitudes, motivations
and commitments to make informed decisions and take
responsible action (UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration, 1978).
The components of environmental education
are:
- Awareness and sensitivity
to the environment and environmental challenges
- Knowledge and understanding
of the environment and environmental challenges
- Attitudes of concern for
the environment and motivation to improve
or maintain environmental quality
- Skills to identify and help resolving environmental
challenges
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Example: Education
Programme for Staff, Aurinkomatkat, a Finnish Outbound
Tour Operator
To encourage and promote
sustainable and environmentally sound tourism within
its internal operations, Aurinkomatkat, a Finnish outbound
tour operator has created an education programme for
staff. The topics are the environmental, economic, cultural,
social impacts of tourism, destination-specific issues,
sustainability actions and recommended practices to
combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Benefits
Aurinkomatkat has seen a number of benefits
of having its entire staff continuously trained
and informed on sustainability issues.
Including:
- Staff members are now taking their own
initiatives to improve sustainability performance
in the office and in destinations
- The training sessions encourage participation
and sharing ideas
- There is increased information on sustainability
for customers;
- Aurinkomatkat has improved its relationship
with partners by showing that it is concerned
- There is a feeling of commitment among staff
- The circulation of the newsletter enables
staff to be informed of the progress that
is being made and what difficulties are faced.
(Tour
Operators Initiative)
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Education and awareness programmes need to be addressed
to both the professional sector and the general
public and should inform them about the direct
and indirect impacts of tourism, the causes
and effects, the global and local issues, the
immediate and long-term issues and good practices
in the area. The private sector and especially
tour operators could provide information more
widely to their clients - the tourists - about
sustainable tourism issues, encourage them to
conserve, avoid negative impacts on biodiversity
and cultural heritage to respect national legislation
of the visited area as well as traditions of
local communities.
Education and awareness-raising also is required at
all levels of government. This should include
processes for increasing mutual understanding
between relevant ministries, including joint
and innovative approaches for dealing with tourism
and environmental issues. It is quite important
to raise awareness within the academic sector
responsible for training and research on issues
regarding sustainable tourism.
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Example: The contribution of Information
Centres to sustainable tourism in protected areas (the
case of Strymonikos Gulf)
The main role of the Centre consists
in contributing to information and public awareness
in matters of coastal zone functions and values. Using
as examples the Strymonikos Gulf and the Gulf of Ierissos,
whose coastal zone diversity is typical for Greece.
It is the first IC in Greece dealing exclusively with
matters associated with the coastal zone.
Strymonikos Info centre
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information on this example
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Example:
Public Awareness Strategy, Danube Delta Biosphere
Reserve (DDBR)
A variety of different groups of people
have an interest in the Danube Delta or influence it
in some way or other. The Public Awareness Strategy
of the DDBR has been designed to support the conservation
and sustainable management of the natural resources
of the Danube Delta while improving socio-economic benefits
for the local population. The financial sustainability
of the DDBR, through the implementation of an integrated
and clearly targeted plan for public awareness activities.
Information and visitors Centres in DDBR
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information on this example
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