CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS - THE CHALLENGE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL-EDUCATION IN CHINA

The global environment is changing at an alarming rate and nowhere is this more evident than in China. The authorities in this rapidly devel oping nation have identified environmental education as a critical str ategy for preventing further degradation as well as promoting a better environment. The article highlights the role of environmental educati on as an instrument for environmental improvement and traces its incre asing importance within China's National Environmental Policy. It argu es that the transformative intentions of environmental education confl ict with the dominant ideology and culture of formal education in Chin a. The possibilities for achieving environmental change through school ing are explored.