3. Learning about and Caring for the Environment

Environmental Education (EE) is a balanced process of developing cognitive understanding, emotional connectedness, and behavioural change towards environmental issues that concern both humans and the natural system. The goal is to enable individuals to find equitable, just, and sustainable solutions that maintain a dynamic equilibrium between human and environmental well-being.

Environmental Education is by nature a cross-disciplinary Curricular Area, as it involves understanding the diverse set of factors — both natural and societal — that can affect this increasingly delicate equilibrium between nature and humans. Environmental Education, therefore, requires a holistic mix of content from the Science as well as the Social Science, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Geology, Ecology, History, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology. Additionally, our strong cultural traditions regarding our conception of, and relationship with, nature, and the wealth of practices of environmental conservation that have resulted from this conception, must also find their place in Environmental Education.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises developing ‘among the learners a deep rooted pride in being Indian … and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being, thereby reflecting a truly global citizen.’ In particular, the Policy makes the topical recommendation of including Environmental Education as a focus subject area, given the perilous state of environmental affairs not just in India, but around the world. The policy further emphasises that:

…certain subjects, skills, and capacities should be learned by all students to become good, successful, innovative, adaptable, and productive human beings in today’s rapidly changing world … these skills include: ... environmental awareness including water and resource conservation, sanitation and hygiene. [NEP 2020, 4.23]

Keeping in the mind this mandate of NEP 2020, the Curriculum Framework for Environmental Education strives to offer a well-researched set of guidelines that will provide strategic direction to the development of the curriculum, as well as tangible means by which these guidelines can be implemented on the ground.

Section 3.1 - History of and Rationale for Environmental Education in India

Nature is an integral part of Indian life and traditions — the lives of communities and the environment around them are unconditionally interconnected. This intricate link between nature and society imposes upon us a moral and existential imperative to understand it, stand up for it, and protect it for its and our own survival.

Interventions at all levels are required, but, perhaps, the most foundational and enduring among them is harnessing the power of education to create awareness and develop an empathetic disposition towards the natural system that sustains us all. In fact, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals identify Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a key enabler in building a sustainable society that protects life now and in the future. In the Indian context, an awareness of, and sensitivity to, India’s local/traditional approaches towards respecting and conserving nature and the environment, and some of the major practices that resulted from these approaches, must be harnessed, and included in any holistic development of ESD.

3.1.1 India and Nature: Concepts and Practices

Extensive literature in India has, from ancient times, emphasised the intimate connection between nature and humanity and the interconnectedness of all creatures. Thus, the Rigveda, India’s most ancient text, addresses earth and heaven as ‘twins’ or a single being (dyavaprithivi) and compares the universe to a thousand-branched tree (a fine symbol for endless diversity united by one trunk). Similarly, in the Yajurveda, another one of the four most ancient Indian texts, the hymns advocate for a peaceful coexistence with every component of nature and ask people to look at one another and all aspects of the natural system through the lens of ‘friendship’.

The hymns wish for no harm or injury to any of these ‘relatives’, and their well-being is tied to humans’ well-being. Mountains, rivers, forests, trees, animals, and plants are seen as imbued with sacredness and become cosmic symbols of it; thus, the ashwattha (peepal) tree, the same tree under which the Buddha will attain enlightenment, is said to symbolise the whole universe. Rivers are mothers (and often goddesses) as they make it easy for us to grow food. The* Tirukkural* declares that ‘Sparkling water, open space, hills and forests constitute a fortress’ (that is, our defence and protection), while Subhasitas (wise sayings) remind us that ‘Trees are like good people. While they themselves stand in the scorching sun, they provide shade and fruit for others.’ Countless texts paint pictures of the beauty and generosity of nature, our mother which feeds and nurtures us.

These lofty concepts inspired widespread practices. A whole branch of Ayurveda, Vrikshayurveda, was dedicated to the treatment of trees and other plants, including crops before and after the sowing of seeds. While some forests were cleared for agriculture, others were protected just as today’s wildlife sanctuaries (as prescribed in the Arthashastra). Vegetarianism spread, largely promoted by the practice of ahimsa or ‘non-hurting’. Water management systems, from simple to highly sophisticated ones, took care of the people’s needs in different regions with diverse climates. In texts and inscriptions, people were promised punya (religious merit) if they dug ponds — the simplest way to recharge the water table. Urban planning took care to include parks; reservoirs were added to temples and monuments across India, fulfilling cultural as well as environmental needs; sacred groves, where hunting and the collection of wood were prohibited, were created in the vicinity of villages in many parts of India. Indeed, many of these traditions survive to these days, though diminished and often endangered. Owing to their lifestyle in proximity to the natural environment, numerous rural and tribal communities developed a huge corpus of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, agriculture, water conservation, metallurgy, zoology, survival techniques, and resilience in the face of natural calamities. Indian systems of medicine, agriculture, metallurgy, water management, and more have amply borrowed from this corpus, codifying, and classifying it.

The Bishnoi’s Sacrifice In 1730 at Khejadli (Rajasthan): 363 women, children and men laid down their lives to protest cutting of Khejadli trees. Led by Amrita Devi and her three young daughters, they died chanting one of their Guru’s teachings: Sar Santey Rookh Rahe To Bhi Sasto Jaan — ‘If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s head, it is worth it.’
The Maharaja of Jodhpur apologised and prohibited the cutting of trees and hunting of animals in all Bishnoi villages.
The Khejarli Massacre cenotaph to commemorate the sacrifice of the Bishnois (Wikipedia)

These ancient, tribal, and other local traditions to conserve and live in harmony with our environments have been practised and advocated throughout India for centuries. In more recent times, many poets, novelists, environmental thinkers, and activists, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Premchand, Ghanashyam Raturi, and R K Narayan, to name just a few, have stressed this inextricable link between nature and human society.

The Constitution of India also emphasises this connect — one of its Fundamental Duties enjoins citizens to ‘protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.’

3.1.2 Today’s Context

In more recent times, the pressures of modern life have fractured the bonds between the natural environment and human beings. What was once revered as a mutually sustaining relationship is now steadily falling into an intense competition between two conflicting entities. As India’s future generations inherit the challenges of life in the modern era, it is important to pass on this ancient knowledge and reverence, the mandate from our Constitution, and, most importantly, the modern knowledge and tools from the Science and Social Sciences. Ideally, knowledge from ancient times to the modern should converge towards sustainable solutions to the growing environmental challenges.

Environmental Education constitutes an important step in this direction. By incorporating topics from various subject areas, students will learn to appreciate the nuances and complexity of the human-nature equilibrium and the impact and trade-offs of different decisions taken at a societal, or even individual, level. They will develop important skills, such as keen observation, critical thinking, pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and problem solving, all of which are important to finding remedies to the environmental issues we face today to avoid far more serious problems in the future. At the same time, such a cross-disciplinary approach that opens students’ eyes to different realities and perspectives will help students be less rigid in their outlook and more compassionate in their attitude towards those around them.

At this time, the world is undoubtedly at a crisis point due to environmental concerns, which include but are not limited to scarcity of water, ground, air and water pollution, waste overload, loss of natural habitats through deforestation, accelerating loss of biodiversity, rising sea levels, and increasingly severe weather due to climate change. It is equally clear that encouraging students to develop sensitivity towards the environment, build an understanding of the environment, and find ways to demonstrate care through action about their environment is a critical responsibility of school education.

As committed to in NEP 2020, developing sensitivity to and care for the environment must thus be a central theme throughout school education in this NCF.

Section 3.2 - Aims of Environmental Education

The aims of Environmental Education in the school curriculum are listed below.

a. Create a strong foundation of environmental literacy, which includes understanding the interlinkages between ecological, social, economic, and political factors.

b. Develop a more compassionate attitude towards the natural environment, drawing upon teachings from ancient Indian traditions and practices, the Indian Constitution, as well as scientific research on the effects of modern human activity on the environment.

c. Develop an action-oriented mindset and skillset to promote environmental causes, with a solid understanding of how individual, societal, national, and global actions can help us restore the balance between humans and nature and thereby save our planet and ourselves.

Section 3.3 - Approach to Learning about and Caring for the Environment in the NCF

Environmental Education is best imparted through a combination of in-class and experiential learning.

Previous approaches of teaching facts without an opportunity to discuss and debate open-ended questions rendered Environmental Education a perfunctory subject that was only important as far as school assessments were concerned. On the other hand, introducing a more immersive, experiential learning component will ensure that students internalise conceptual knowledge gained in the classroom.

Below are some of the salient features of Environmental Education that will enable learning for children:

a. Familiar: Content should be customised to children’s surroundings and environment so that it is accessible and familiar to them. Local/regional flavour to the content will also make it easier for educators to include experiential learning elements in the learning process, e.g., ‘show and tell’ of natural resources found locally, field visits to nearby sites of topical importance, and guest lectures by regional experts on local flora/fauna/ environmental issues.

b. Cumulative: Learning must build on the foundations laid in previous classes. Related to this point, content must be appropriately curated for each pedagogical Stage — neither too easy (which makes the subject uninteresting) nor too difficult (which makes it daunting). For instance, teaching a complex concept about ecological communities could be broken up into smaller parts that build up across Stages. In the Foundational Stage, the focus could be on plants and animals found in an area. Teachers could use a combination of in-class teaching, field visits, and museum tours to explain this concept to students. In the Preparatory and Middle Stages, the material can build on what was previously taught and include concepts such as the role of different plants and animals — producers, consumers, scavengers, and decomposers — in the ecological community. As students grow older, their ability for logical and abstract thinking develops as well. In the Secondary Stage, the same ecological community concept can be expanded to include more complex components, such as predator-prey relationships, food chains, food webs, and energy transfer. Such a cumulative approach to teaching holds true even for the socio-emotional and behavioural dimensions of learning. In the Foundational and Preparatory Stages, students can be taught to develop a curiosity and interest towards the environment. By the time they reach the Secondary Stage, their attitudes and behaviours evolve beyond interest to respect and acceptance of different perspectives with a desire to understand the nuances of human environmental relationships. Students in the Secondary Stage can independently deepen their environmental knowledge, analyse issues across various areas, make informed judgements on statements and debates in media and society, and use a wider range of techniques to investigate, analyse, synthesise, question, critique, and draw their own conclusions. At this Stage, it is best to offer them cases to study, and critique existing policies and practices.

c. Participative: Students should be encouraged to engage with the content at an intellectual level through active participation in the classroom (e.g., asking questions, engaging in debates) and also at an experiential level by undertaking hands-on community projects (e.g., participating in environmentally sustainable activities at school, composting, minimising waste and maximising recycling/ upcycling, raising a small plot or bed of medicinal plants, fundraising for important causes, community service in and around the school locality). Students’ questions — related to the social and physical environment and of social processes around them (including schools and family) — must be given space. In the classroom, students must be provided opportunities to explore the relationship between questions and responses, rather than limiting to ‘yes/no’ or fact-based answers. This helps them connect their thinking process with their exploration and findings. This process leads to the development of the ability for critical thinking. Use of different modes and methods that are interactive, observation and dialogues, and the communication of ideas, help students strengthen this ability. It also helps them relate present content to previous knowledge.

d. Continuous/integrated: Learning continues beyond the classroom when Teachers lead by example. Learning in Environmental Education in the early years is largely through interaction with adults and peers, in alignment with learning theories of social constructivism. Interaction with adults, peers, and experts forms an important part of learning in Environmental Education. The culture of the school with respect to its surroundings and the environment also has a deep impact on the lifelong attitudes of the members of the school including its students.

*e. Diversifie* Content that spans spatial and temporal breadth will open students’ eyes to various perspectives on environmental issues. Also, by making the dissemination of the content more multi-modal in nature, students can engage with the topics/content in a manner that most appeals to them, e.g., documentaries, field trips, guest lectures, class and group projects, essay writing. Depending on each student’s bent of mind, different activities will resonate differently. For example, getting students to participate in task-oriented work, such as the creation of simple models and toys may facilitate better conceptual understanding for some students who prefer learning by doing.

Other considerations that must be considered when developing TLMs and pedagogy in Environmental Education:

a. Students are naturally inclined to observe their natural and social environments. They participate in several interactions with nature, living and non-living things, and relationships within families and communities. They experience emotions related to these experiences. Further, personal, and cultural identities are often tied to the local environment. School education must build on this natural ability and interest.

b. Learning about the environment helps students discover its beauty and take pride in, ownership of, and responsibility for its care. This also helps in developing specific values, e.g., dignity of all beings, respect for all living beings, appreciation of diversity, respect for resources and their judicial use, and equitable distribution of available resources.

c. India has a long history and rich traditions of environmentally sustainable practices. It is important for our students to understand this and learn about such practices from different regions of our country. They can also research why the modern context often causes these practices to be abandoned. (Illustratively, they may research the accumulation of plastic waste in their village or street, and discuss, among themselves as well as with the concerned neighbourhoods, how this could be reduced or eliminated.)

d. As students grow, school education must enable them to be environmentally literate. This includes the students developing environmental values, dispositions, and capacities to investigate the environment and make intelligent, informed decisions about individual and collective solutions to the current problems, and the prevention of new ones. An important aspect of environmental literacy is the ability to sift through information, news, views, and opinions to arrive at authentic conclusions. This must lead them to advocate for and participate in necessary action at the level of their local communities, since collective action is a key in mitigating environmental challenges.

e. Students must also develop awareness of and concern for the interdependence between the natural and human-made environments and the economic, socio-cultural, political, historical, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of human societies. They must appreciate the need for balance between the environment and human society.

f. The knowledge base for Environmental Education comes from both, research, and practice. Environmental Education draws from many different fields, such as Biology, Ecology, Philosophy, Geography, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Economics, Sociology, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Management, Law, and Politics. Environmental problems must be seen in all their complexity. They involve issues of public health, social justice, behaviour towards nature, science, policy, rights, and ethics. They must, therefore, be examined through the lens of multiple disciplines and perspectives.

g. Pedagogy must use different modes and methods, including observation of nature, interaction and dialogue, completing small projects, reading, and writing. Students’ questions and experiences must be given space. Older students should work on specific issues and examine their impact using an interdisciplinary lens. All this will require sufficient time, which is provided for in this NCF.

h. While it is important that students acquire a conceptual understanding of environmental issues and challenges as well as an appreciation of the magnitude of the problem, it is equally important to ensure they do not get discouraged or despair for their future. Indeed, information on the environmental crisis tends to be overwhelming and distressing, at times resulting in depression (now called ‘eco-anxiety’); students should be shown how to convert such trends into positive action, in effect turning despair into hope. To do this, the NCF focusses on presenting possibilities and positive examples of actions to contain or reverse environmental damage. At the same time, it is emphasised that the onus for mitigation is not only on individuals, but on communities and nations as well.

Section 3.4 - Learning about and Caring for the Environment across School Stages

Learning about and caring for the environment is an integral part of this NCF across all School Stages. This is reflected in different ways — as part of Learning Standards at every Stage (as reflected in Curricular Goals and Competencies), as part of pedagogical processes across Stages, conceptually integrated into Curricular Areas, and as a separate Curricular Area.

a. There are 13 Curricular Goals and 20 Competencies that directly address learning about and caring for the environment in this NCF across curricular areas and School Stages.

b. Having Curricular Goals and Competencies focussed on this area of will ensure that all students attain environmental literacy and sensitivity through school education.

c. Some illustrative Curricular Goals on the environment at the Foundational, Preparatory, and Middle Stages in this NCF are as follows:

i. Foundational Stage: Children develop a positive regard for the natural environment around them (CG-6)

ii. Preparatory Stage: Students develop sensitivity towards their social and natural environment (CG-4 — The World Around Us)

iii. Middle Stage: Understands the spatial distribution of resources (from local to global), their conservation, and the interdependence between natural phenomena and human life (CG-5 — Social Science)

d. At the Secondary Stage, Environmental Education is a subject that all students must study. This has a set of Curricular Goals and Competencies focussed fully on learning about the environment.

Some other key points for each of the Stages follow.

3.4.1 Foundational Stage

a. In the Foundational Stage, Curricular Goals and Competencies are organised around domains of development and not as Curricular Areas. Developing a positive regard for the environment, caring for all life forms, and finding joy in engaging with nature are part of the Learning Standards at this Stage.

b. Spending time in nature is an integral part of pedagogy at this Stage, encouraging children to observe and interact sensitively with plants, animals, insects, and birds.

c. Children listen to stories, poems, and songs that often have elements of the environment (e.g., birds, animals, plants, flowers, mountains, rivers) woven in. Sources of sound around them include the buzzing of bees, the cooing of the koyal, or rain on a window. Toys are made from local materials and often take the shape of animals and birds.

3.4.2 Preparatory Stage

a. In the Preparatory Stage, learning about the environment is integrated into The World Around Us, one of the Curricular Areas at this Stage. The focus is to begin with the immediate environment of students and gradually broaden it by the end of the Stage. An interdisciplinary approach enables learning and ensures that students do not receive a fragmented view of the world around them.

b. In this Stage, there are Learning Standards related to observing, understanding, and engaging with nature. Pedagogical processes that emphasise caring for nature (e.g., growing plants, observing animals, using water carefully) are also the focus at this Stage. For students to become environmentally literate, they must learn through ‘doing by themselves.’

c. Students also begin to appreciate the interdependence of human society and the natural environment at this Stage. They make connections between cultural practices within the community and the environment, appreciate how natural systems support their lives and those of other living beings, and begin to understand how life changes as the environment changes. They carry out small investigations, surveys, field trips, and observations to understand these connections.

d. Content in this Stage is selected to ensure maximum interaction with the environment, reflecting diversity in geographical features, flora, and fauna. Folklore, folk songs, oral histories, and small case studies connected to the environment continue to be used to develop among students a love for the environment.

3.4.3 Middle Stage

a. In the Middle Stage, concepts related to the environment are integrated into Science and Social Science. This is to ensure that students engage with the basic ‘knowledge of the environment’ to enable a deeper understanding of ideas around the environment at the next Stage.

b. Learning Standards in Science and Social Science include those on understanding the environment (e.g., Explores the living world around us, and its interaction with the inanimate world in scientific terms; Understands the spatial distribution of resources, their conservation and the interdependence between natural phenomena and human life).

c. Content and pedagogical processes continue to emphasise sensitivity to and care for the environment. Students engage with the environment through as much direct engagement as possible in Science, examining diversity of living beings — both those that are in their surroundings as well as those at a smaller scale — and how they interact with their environment. They examine the conditions necessary for sustaining life. In Social Science, students examine the spatial distribution of resources, and disparity in availability for people from different sections of society. They illustrate attempts at conservation, restoration, and regeneration — and advocate the critical importance of these efforts.

3.4.4 Secondary Stage

a. In the Secondary Stage, Environmental Education is part of Interdisciplinary Areas, a separate Curricular Area at this Stage, offered in Grade 10. Students will focus on developing a holistic understanding of key concerns and issues related to the environment, drawing upon their understanding across other Curricular Areas.

b. In this Stage, students can independently deepen their environmental knowledge, assess issues, and analyse their causes, make informed judgements on statements and debates in the media and in society, and use a range of techniques developed in earlier grades to investigate, analyse, synthesise, question, critique, and draw their own conclusions. They can use multiple perspectives to develop an integrated understanding, and advocate actions for certain environmental phenomena.

c. The capacities mentioned in the preceding point are developed through Individuals in Society, offered in Grade 9. This course aims to develop capacity for ethical and moral capacities with a specific focus on the environment, among other domains. Students systematically examine issues/events related to the environment to identify key ethical and moral questions and then present an informed position for specific actions.

d. Students will view Environmental Education from the perspective of a social-ecological perspectives, as opposed to a perspective informed primarily by either Science or Social Science. The social-ecological perspective emphasises interdisciplinarity, integrating conceptual frameworks and methods from the Natural and Social Science for a holistic understanding of interlinkages between society and the environment. Central to the idea of the social-ecological framework are ideas of equity, environmental justice, and human well-being — all fundamental to the development of sustainable societies.

e. In this Stage, Environmental Education will also encourage students to develop knowledge about traditional practices across communities for prevention of environmental degradation, issues related to the survival of animal species, and sustainable use of resources, such as forests and rivers.

Across School Stages, students’ continuous engagement with and care for their environment is emphasised. From a direct engagement with nature in earlier Stages, students move towards deepening their environmental knowledge, assessing issues, showing initiative, creativity, perseverance, and problem-solving skills for environmental action.

Environmental values include, but are not limited to, aesthetic appreciation of beauty and sensitivity — they also include the ability and motivation to identify and raise questions related to the environment. Therefore, these values related to the environment have to be demonstrated by adults in the school so that students develop them as well.

This NCF progressively builds capacities, values, and dispositions for learning about and caring for the environment in students across the School Stages.