Economic Dimensions of Environmental Citizenship

29-48

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Conceptualizing Environmental Citizenship for 21st Century Education ; Jrg. 4 ; Chapter 3 (2020) , 29-48

The concept of Environmental Citizenship requires a critical discussion on economic development. Generally, economics ‘enjoys’ a negative attitude among citizens around the globe in relation to its impact on the state of the environment. Simply put, business is in a role of ‘bad guy’ responsible for the degradation of (not only human) environment. The term ‘economics’ is derived from the Greek word oikonomia composed of the words oikos (house, household) and ‘nomos’ (rule, law). First mentioned in ancient Greece, Aristotle termed economics as a science of ‘household management’. Over the centuries (and especially after the Industrial Revolution), economic relations rose to the extent which cross national borders causing interdependence and influence the quality of life of citizens across the globe. In fact, mankind’s dramatic role and economically driven activity influence its own environment and the state of nature in the both negative and positive ways. The study of economics begins with the clarification of basic relations between the supply and demand on both a micro and a macro level. Education on micro- and macroeconomic principles is usually based on mainstream economic thinking. It is naturally founded on the growth (national and transnational level) and on the profit (individual and corporate level). Thus, the tools, mechanisms and concepts used are adjusted to achieve these goals. Solutions to the disparities between a desirable state of the environment and its real state as a result of human economic activity are therefore based on a change of approach as to how or whether to achieve economic growth.