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Environmental Education in Environmental Engineering: Analysis of the Situation in Colombia and Latin America

Author

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  • Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Universidad Santo Tomás, Tunja 150003, Colombia
    Doctoral School, Education in the Knowledge Society, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain)

  • Araceli Queiruga-Dios

    (Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de Salamanca, Béjar, 37700 Salamanca, Spain)

  • Ascensión Hernández Encinas

    (Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain)

  • Libia Cristina Acosta

    (Faculty of Administrative and Accounting Economics, Universidad Libre, Bogotá 111711, Colombia)

Abstract

Environmental education (EE) has become the only tool for environmental sustainability in training processes in Colombia, for basic cycles in primary and secondary, as well as university education. EE tends to transform human actions in nature, based on multidisciplinary knowledge that supports decision-making. Its goal is to generate a change in social behavior in order to achieve the recovery, conservation, and preservation of the environment. In Colombia, education for sustainable development (ESD) is embedded in EE. These educational models (EE and ESD) seek to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), which generally seek the economic and social well-being of nations, both for current and future generations. Environmental engineering is a relatively new degree course in Colombia and Latin America since it appeared in the mid-nineties, and it must involve EE within its curriculum. Students are trained in this trend. This research intends to demonstrate, through a curricular review of the environmental engineering curricula and also surveying students from this degree, the level of inclusion of EE in Latin America. Strengths are identified in the curricula, such as the strong presence of EE in disciplinary subjects and opportunities for improvement based on the needs of the students. The situation in South America is also included in this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos & Araceli Queiruga-Dios & Ascensión Hernández Encinas & Libia Cristina Acosta, 2020. "Environmental Education in Environmental Engineering: Analysis of the Situation in Colombia and Latin America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7239-:d:408751
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carleton-Hug, Annelise & Hug, J. William, 2010. "Challenges and opportunities for evaluating environmental education programs," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 159-164, May.
    2. Tom Waas & Jean Hugé & Thomas Block & Tarah Wright & Francisco Benitez-Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability Assessment and Indicators: Tools in a Decision-Making Strategy for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-23, August.
    3. Jorrit Holst & Antje Brock & Mandy Singer-Brodowski & Gerhard de Haan, 2020. "Monitoring Progress of Change: Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within Documents of the German Education System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Tom Waas & Jean Huge & Thomas BLOCK & Tarah Wright & Francisco Javier Benitez Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability assessment and indicators: Tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/189410, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Meyer, Andrew, 2015. "Does education increase pro-environmental behavior? Evidence from Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 108-121.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Vanessa Ramírez Suárez & Pedro Mauricio Acosta-Castellanos & Yuddy Alejandra Castro Ortegon & Araceli Queiruga-Dios, 2023. "Current State of Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development in Primary and Secondary (K-12) Schools in Boyacá, Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos & Araceli Queiruga-Dios & Lina González Álvarez, 2021. "Inclusion of Education for Sustainable Development in Environmental Engineering. A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-11, September.
    3. Oxana Denissova & Eduardo Sánchez-García & Javier Martínez-Falcó & Zhadyra Konurbayeva & Bartolomé Marco-Lajara & Saltanat Suieubayeva, 2026. "Reimagining engineering education through the lens of sustainable development goals," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 1-24, April.
    4. Rodel B. Ponferrada & Elisa C. Operario & Ericson D. Acebedo & Julius Ken P. Badeo & Louise R. Horca, 2026. "Perceived Impacts of Pagpapahalaga sa Kalikasan Project: A Qualitative Inquiry into Eastern Visayas State University’s Community Engagement at Villaconzoilo Farm Resort," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 10(4), pages 7657-7673, April.
    5. Sydney Barnason & Christine Jie Li & Damon M. Hall & Sonja A. Wilhelm Stanis & John H. Schulz, 2022. "Environmental Action Programs Using Positive Youth Development May Increase Civic Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-9, June.
    6. Iqra Hassan Mohamud & Ahmed Abdirashid Mohamud, 2023. "The Impact of Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Growth on Environmental Degradation in Somalia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, vol. 13(5), pages 533-543, September.
    7. Hussain Mohi Ud Din Qadri & Muhammad Bilal Zafar & Hassnian Ali & Muhammad Tahir, 2025. "Wealth, Wisdom, and the Will to Protect: An Examination of Socioeconomic Influences on Environmental Behavior," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 178(2), pages 653-683, June.

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