<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The present study attempted to highlight the main processes of the acquisition and development of various environmental perspectives and puts forward suggestions on how youth can be better addressed in the light of the research findings. The present paper involved the use of a number of focus groups and a contextual study that examined the development of environmental education on the Maltese islands, considered the main local environmental issues and subsequently analysed the main causes and mechanisms that have shaped the development of the local environment and the Maltese people. The present research identifies a number of geographic and socio economic trends which have a strong impact on young people's knowledge. The results indicate relatively low positive behaviour towards the environment, and the main issue appears to be what is seen as the ‘costs’ involved in performing such pro-environmental actions. A pervasive sense of futility in environmental actions emerged with issues relating to the Maltese government and politics being the main reasons for this feeling. An environmental perspectives model was designed employing the technique of graphical display. The model illustrates how young people perceive the future of the Maltese environment through three Cartesian axes.</p></abstract>

The present study attempted to highlight the main processes of the acquisition and development of various environmental perspectives and puts forward suggestions on how youth can be better addressed in the light of the research findings. The present paper involved the use of a number of focus groups and a contextual study that examined the development of environmental education on the Maltese islands, considered the main local environmental issues and subsequently analysed the main causes and mechanisms that have shaped the development of the local environment and the Maltese people. The present research identifies a number of geographic and socio economic trends which have a strong impact on young people's knowledge. The results indicate relatively low positive behaviour towards the environment, and the main issue appears to be what is seen as the ‘costs’ involved in performing such pro-environmental actions. A pervasive sense of futility in environmental actions emerged with issues relating to the Maltese government and politics being the main reasons for this feeling. An environmental perspectives model was designed employing the technique of graphical display. The model illustrates how young people perceive the future of the Maltese environment through three Cartesian axes.

Maltese Youth and the Environment: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability

{"article-title":"Maltese Youth and the Environment: A Qualitative Study"}

The present study attempted to highlight the main processes of the acquisition and development of various environmental perspectives and puts forward...

Maltese Youth and the Environment: A Qualitative Study

Published Online: Feb 21, 2011

Page range: 110 - 129

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10099-009-0058-6

Keywords
environmental education, attitudes, behaviour, youth

This content is open access.

Maltese Youth and the Environment: A Qualitative Study

Published Online: Feb 21, 2011

Page range: 110 - 129

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10099-009-0058-6

Keywordsenvironmental education, attitudes, behaviour, youth

This content is open access.

Keywords
environmental education, attitudes, behaviour, youth