Environmental Education (EE) is a multidisciplinary field that teaches how natural environments function and how humans can manage ecosystems to live sustainably. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) emphasizes EE's vital role in fostering respect for nature, enhancing public environmental awareness, and safeguarding global quality of life through sustainable development and environmental protection. EE is delivered in diverse settings, from formal school systems (primary to post-secondary) to informal public education via zoos, nature centers, and media campaigns.
UNESCO has been a driving force in EE, helping establish the IUCN in 1948 and co-leading the significant International Environmental Education Programme (1975-1995) with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) following the 1972 Stockholm Conference. A pivotal moment was the 1977 Tbilisi Conference, the world's first intergovernmental meeting on EE, which comprehensively defined "environment" and underscored education's essential role in achieving sustainable development.