Assessment of Applying Global Instruments in Nongovernmental Organizations for Environmental Security and Sustainable Development in Developing Countries

• Main Author: Mekonnen Hailemariam Zikargae
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2021-01-01
• Series: Education Research International
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9135290

Background. Environmental challenges are overwhelming the global communities. Thus, the purpose of the study is to explore how instruments used by the nongovernmental organizations are applied for environmental security and sustainable development in Ethiopia. It addresses issues of how environmental education in context is working to instill the knowledge, skills, awareness, and attitudes of the stakeholders. Recent discussions of the African Union Summit 2020, Africa Agenda 2063, Davos 2020 World Economic Forum, United Nations Agenda 2030, and the Green Economy Strategy in Ethiopia have strongly sought to strengthen environmental education as an instrument of global and local sustainability of the environment and development. Here, the study collected pieces of evidence from environmental programs of a nongovernmental organization in Ethiopia. The study focused on a nonformal environmental education, based on the frameworks of the agreements and declarations where Ethiopia is a contracting party. The frameworks are guiding concepts to investigate the phenomenon. Methods. The study used a thematic analysis based on empirical studies. Specifically, empirical studies from primary and secondary sources on the implementation of environment and forest development programs of the organization are crucial to providing a concrete presentation. Results. Empirical pieces of evidence show that the organization plans, projects, and performance reports were found inconsistent with the frameworks of international agreements and national policy. The empirical study also shows that environmental education is not well considered and institutionalized in the organization's project planning. Environmental education strategies are not explicitly visible while planning the projects. Moreover, in some implementation strategies of the organization, there was inconsistency in using environmental education as a strategic instrument to improve environmental security and quality. Conclusion. The organization's environmental performance was deep-rooted to improve the status quo in the living community. However, the utilization of environmental education was discovered to be minimal. Thus, stakeholders and the organization take the advice to integrate into the entire cycle of the project.