PROBLEMS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE: THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the role of environmental education as a basis for the implementation of the Concept of sustainable development and greening of society. It is investigated that as a result of the interaction of society and nature at the present stage there are acute contradictions that are the essence of environmental problems: ozone depletion and air pollution, transboundary movement of pollutants, climate change, biodiversity, acid rain, desertification, resource crisis, etc. At the heart of these environmental problems are global phenomena and processes that society today is unable to overcome without environmental education, namely without understanding the theoretical foundations of ecology, environmental protection and sustainable use of nature. In recent years, a new stage in the relationship of mankind with nature has emerged. Previous decades have been characterized by awareness of the consequences and scale of anthropogenic impact, recognition of the priority role of ecology and the transformation of this science from a purely biological to an integrated interdisciplinary. A distinctive feature of the current stage is the transition from fact-finding to action, to the development of a model of sustainable socio-economic and environmental development and to greening. The most important tasks of greening is to integrate different branches of modern scientific knowledge to solve a specific socio-environmental problem; the relationship of related fields of knowledge to a certain holistic system of scientific ideas; in the formation of a new person who is aware of himself in inseparable connection with nature; in the formation of a specialist who will create new technologies and techniques that ensure the implementation of the principles of sustainable development of society. The greening of education should aim not only, but not so much at the awareness of the need to protect nature, as the development of thinking, ensures the transition to non-destructive, balanced nature management. The objectives of the principles of sustainable development are as follows, namely to ensure the advanced solution of problems of social and spiritual development; coordination of the pace of economic development with the economic capacity of ecosystems; preservation and restoration of natural ecosystems and their ability to self-reproduction; coordination of the pace of economic development with the economic capacity of ecosystems; conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems and their ability to self-reproduce. The article reflects the features, defines the objectives, goals and characteristics of environmental education. Environmental education should be implemented at all levels of education through a variety of organizational forms, tools and methods of teaching, which should be carried out on the basis of the world's best educational technologies, achievements of psychological and pedagogical science. The priority directions of development of the education system in Ukraine and for the introduction of environmental education are given. Environmental education is one of the prerequisites for achieving sustainable development and an important tool for effective governance, sound decision-making and the development of democracy.