Which of the following agencies launched the “International Environmental Education Programme”?

Correct option is A

The International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) was launched in 1975 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in collaboration with UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). However, UNESCO played the primary role in initiating and leading the program due to its core mandate in education, science, and culture. The program aimed to integrate environmental education into school curricula and foster global awareness of environmental conservation.

Key objectives of IEEP under UNESCO's leadership included:

1. Developing frameworks for environmental education across diverse educational systems.
2. Promoting research, innovation, and resource sharing for sustainable practices.
3. Training educators to impart environmental awareness and encourage sustainability.

UNESCO’s focus on education as a tool for social and environmental change positioned it as the leader in this collaborative effort.

Information Booster

Why UNESCO?

• UNESCO focuses on education as a driver for development and transformation.
• Through IEEP, UNESCO emphasized capacity building for teachers, the development of curricula, and the dissemination of resources that integrate environmental education globally.
• Environmental education was a natural extension of UNESCO's mission to promote science and culture for the betterment of humanity.

IEEP Achievements:

• Adoption of environmental education policies by several countries.
• Development of resources and publications, such as manuals for teachers on sustainable practices.
• Organization of global workshops and conferences, such as the Tbilisi Declaration (1977), which established foundational principles for environmental education.

Additional Knowledge:

• (b) UNEP: Though UNEP collaborated on the initiative, its primary focus was policy and environmental management, not educational integration, which was led by UNESCO.
• (c) IUCN: The International Union for Conservation of Nature focuses on biodiversity conservation and species protection, not formal environmental education.
• (d) GEF: The Global Environment Facility funds environmental projects globally but is not involved in educational programming like the IEEP.