China's environmental problems increasingly attract global attention, yet critics often overlook the sizable efforts of the Chinese people and government to change attitudes and behavior, in order to improve environmental outcomes. This much-needed book provides a comprehensive introduction to environmental education in China. After consideration of the environment in Chinese philosophy, the authors focus on application of directives and new guidelines to compulsory, secondary and college education, and also analyze the way in which teachers are trained. They then examine conditioning factors, such as the media and NGOs, as well as the variation of education within China, and attempt to measure the efficacy of environmental education over time.
Introduction to China’s environmental education project
2. Confucianism as an environmental ethic
3. Environmental education in China’s primary and middle schools
4. The environment in post-secondary education and the “Green University” in China
5. Environmental education in China’s training of teachers
6. The media and environmental education
7. Non-state actors (NSAs) and environmental education
8. Environmental education variation in China
9. Measuring changes in environmental consciousness, knowledge and behavior
10. Environmental education differences in greater China
11. Conclusion
Index
"Facing severe environmental deterioration for several decades, it is no surprise that China pays attention to environmental education as part of its mitigation strategies. This volume provides a useful overview of the development, state of the art and diversity of China's system of environmental education. Most interesting, it details the similarities and differences with western environmental education developments, both within and outside formal schools and universities."
– Arthur Mol, Chair and Professor in Environmental Policy, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
"The combined expertise of the McBeaths and their two associates is truly impressive: academic careers in science and politics and substantial work concerning the environment in China. This expertise is well integrated in this excellent analysis of environmental education in China. The depth of detail in the book is extraordinary for a discussion of Chinese public policy; the interpretations and conclusion are sophisticated and convincing; and there are several thoughtful policy recommendations as well."
– Cal Clark, Auburn University, US