Municipality of Płock and UNITAR
"Environmental education and urban challenges"
CIFAL Płock (Poland) workshop,
22-24 September 2009

Climate change, air and water pollution, soil contamination, waste management, greenhouse effect – for each of these major challenges, often exacerbated in urban settings, environmental education focuses on developing responsible attitudes and behaviours. In reaction to climate change, it encourages us to think about our energy choices and our mobile lives; it enhances our awareness of our resources – air, water and waste – and their value and the importance of safeguarding their quality or getting as much as we can out of them.

Cities striving to develop their citizens’ eco-awareness are those that decide to:
enhance their regulatory approaches with educational programs;
conduct campaigns on major environmental issues to encourage behavioural changes;
support community-based organizations involved in educational initiatives to develop ecocitizenship;
help local residents, businesses and institutions to take responsibility for their surroundings.