The Role of Education in Realizing Sustainable Development in Turkey

Abstract

The defects in the application of 1950s' Green Revolution brought the discussion in 1962 Silent Spring about the negative consequences regarding sustainable environment, which in turn created a new notion in 1980s that needed further work. In Turkey, environmental problems were first discussed within the framework of the 3rd Five-Year Plan (1973-1977). However, actual studies on environment and sustainable development began in the 2000s. The primary aim of this paper is to present sustainable development activities and policies in Turkey to determine the progress in this regard. Moreover, the effect and the role of education in sustainable development will be investigated. The main argument of the paper is that educational activities on environment are not designed to accommodate sustainable development. In this manner, this paper will offer new suggestions about the adaptation of environmental literacy to the education system and turning people's interest in attitudes towards the environment into behavioural patterns so as to establish sustainable development.

C1 [Tahtalioglu, Hava] Nigde Omer Halisdemir Univ, Dept Publ Adm, Nigde, Turkey.

[Kulac, Onur] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Polit Sci & Publ Adm, Denizli, Turkey.