Environmental Education in The Netherlands

In The Netherlands, we have a long and rich tradition in Environmental Education. From the early 20th century on a growing amount of professionals, teachers and volunteers is dedicated to EE, aiming at creating awareness and responsibility towards nature and environment. In 1988 the Dutch government established the first national program on EE, thus showing that EE can also help to realize policy-goals.Based on the EE heritage, in 2000 a new program was established: ‘Learning for Sustainability (ESD), in which the national government co-operates with local governments to put nature and environment in a broader perspective: the people-planet-profit triangle with recognition of other places on the earth and generations hereafter. This ESD-program is still active conducting programs for the government, the educational system and society as a whole.

It became clear however that the broader perspective meant a decline of EE. The specific attention for ecology, environment and nature was gradually slipping away. It also became clear that some of the NGO’s dedicated to EE were not able to ‘leap’ towards ESD. This could put an end to the rich experience in this field. Thus, since the beginning of 2009, the government established again a program specifically aimed at EE. A program that runs alongside the ESD program.

Effectivenes

Main goal of the EE program is to brining together the broad range of activities and knowledge offered by EE-organisations and the demand, the need of end-users, such as teachers, pupils and civilians. It also aims at giving EE a secure place within the policy-making of local governments. This way it strives to increase the effectiveness of the great amount of energy and dedication of the many workers in the field. To achieve these goals the Dutch EE-program works towards:

1. Co-operation between national, regional and local governments
2. Selection of national themes for EE. The first selected themes are: Water, Energy and Nature
3. Focus on youth and young people; the Generation NOW
4. An approach that is driven by the demand instead of the offer
5. Connecting thinking and doing.

The programmanagement is currently creating local coalitions of municipality-governments, end-users and EE-organisations to create innovative EE-programs within one of the three selected themes: Water, Energy and Nature.

The program is supported by four Dutch ministries, the ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water and Education. The program-budget for the next three years is 20 mln Euros.