Environmental Education for Sustainable
Development: History and challenges in Taiwan
Shin-Cheng Yeh, Ph.D.
Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Administration
Professor, Graduate Institute of Environmental Education,
National Taiwan Normal University
Taiwan
What is Environmental Education?
Recycling? Campus landscape? What else?
History of Environmental Education Legislation
in Taiwan
Year
Facts
1993
The first research project on EE legislation commissioned by EPA Taiwan
1995
~
2003
Several times of EE Act proposals to the Legislative Yuan (Parliament)
prepared by several legislators and the Chinese Society for
Environmental Education (CSEE, Taiwan)
2005
The EPA proposed an EEA proposal to the Executive Yuan
2006
The EEA proposal was rejected by the Executive Yuan because of “lack of
need of legislation”
2007
An EEA was proposed and promoted in the Presidential Campaign
2008
•
•
A legislator proposed an EEA draft to the Legislative Yuan with the
help of CSEE
The Executive Yuan accepted the EEA as a prioritized legislation plan
2010
The EEA was promulgated on May 18th, 2010
2011
The EEA came into force on June 5th, 2011
Definition of Environmental
Education in the EEA

A civil educational process through which the
citizens can understand the ethical relationships
between the human beings and the
environment, and establish the knowledge,
attitude, skills, and value toward environmental
protection so that they can take action to
support sustainable development.
STAGES OF EED DEVELOPMENT
IN TAIWAN
Stage 1: Initiation





1987~2001
1987, the EPA Taiwan was established
1990, the Environmental Protection Division
of the Ministry of Education was established
1993~1997, EE Centers were established in
several educational universities
1993, the Graduate Institutes of
Environmental Education at National Taiwan
Normal University was established
1994~2001, other GIEE’s were established
other 5 universities.
Stage 2: Growth 2001~2007





The GIEE’s kept growing
The Sustainable Campus Project of MOE was
lunched. Elementary and high schools promoted
EEd.
Environmental safety and Health was promoted
in colleges and universities.
NGO’s became EEd promoters and practioners.
EEd concepts and practices were incorporated
into CSR.
Stage 3: Transition 2007~2010
The GIEE’s in several universities were
merged into other institutes.
 Legislation of EEd caught more and more
attentions.
 Campus sustainability was emphasized
 Incorporation of EEd into CSR became
the main stream.

Stage 4: Re-construction Now!
The EEA was promulgated and enforced.
 The public sectors and schools tried to
abide by the regulations of the EEA.
 The private sectors tried to find the
potential opportunities.
 The EE certification system started
working
 Problems aroused in many aspects
 Diagnosis and reconstruction is needed.

EEA in the world
USA: 1970~1981, became active again
since1990
 Japan: The Environmental Protection and
Education Promotion Act, 2003
 Brazil: 1999
 The Philippines: The Environmental
Awareness and Education Act, 2008
 Korea: Environmental Education
Promotion Act, 2008

Special features of the EEA of
Taiwan
All government officials and school
students, staff, and teachers are required
to practice EEd for at least 4 hour
annually.
 Violators of environmental laws and
regulations are obligated to attend EEd
classes.
 EEd funds were legislated in the central
and local government for supporting EEd
activities.

EEd Certification System

Persons (EEP)
◦ An EEP can be certificated through one of the
six approaches: education, experience, expertise,
recommendation, examination, training

Facilities and places (EEFP):
◦ Each EEFP is required to hire at least one
certified EEd person.

Institutes (EEI)
◦ A certificated EE Institute can offer classed for
EEP certification and other courses required by
the EEA.
Specialized areas of an EEP
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
School and social environmental education
Climate change
Disaster prevention and mitigation
Natural conservation
Pollution control
Environmental and resource management
Cultural conservation
integrated
Community participation
interdisciplinary
professional
diversified
EEPF’s in Taiwan
15 EEPF’s were
certificated in
the first year.
 These EEPF’s
are public and
belong to
different
authorities in
the central and
local levels.

Features of the EEPF’s
Forests and natural resources play a very
important role.
 They are managed by the Forest Bureau,
Agricultural Council and several local
governments.
 Site-oriented educational materials were
developed
 More visitors are expected.

Taipei Water Park (North)
Special species Conservation Center,
Agricultural Council (Central)
Chouzai Wetland Park (South)
Tzinan Nature Center (East)
EEd in 2011, by activity pattern
EEd in 2011, by the specialized area
The “EEd formula” for linking
people in different areas
(KEECS+KCEIA)AS=EEdO

KEECS(K1): knowledge of environment, ecology,
culture, and sustainability

KCEIA(K2): knowledge of communication,
education, interpretation, and audience

AS: appropriate strategies

EEdO: environmental education opportunities
What does this formula tell us?
(K1+K2)AS=EEdO
We need knowledge in multiple areas
 Science is the base for environmental
education
 Without appropriate strategies, the
educational opportunities would be zero!

Issues of EEA in Taiwan
A common point of view is needed for real
communication… What is environmental
education?
 The certification mechanisms are too complex
and tend to discourage people interested in
EEd.
 Many governmental officials treated EEd
activities as an extra job… sustainability is still
not a crucial part in their professions.
 Business models need to be built to create
“green jobs” related to EEd.

Vision






All education is environmental education… More
people in more fields get involved.
Government officials accept EEd as a must in their
training and educational activities.
More EEd materials are developed with local
characteristics.
Certification systems operate smoothly.
Successful business models and “green jobs”
become real.
EEd is a part of daily life.