Impact of environmental education on mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions: a modelling study

Abstract

Human activities have contributed significantly to the menace of global warming by enhancing the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide (CO2). Environmental education is an avenue to persuade people to reduce their CO2 emissions. Comprehension of the impact of environmental education on the reduction of CO2 emissions aids in devising effectual environmental education policies. In this view, we have formulated a non-linear mathematical model to study the impact of educational programmes on the abatement of CO2 emissions. It is considered that the educational programmes are implemented at a rate proportional to the increase in atmospheric concentration of CO2 due to human activities. Model is analysed by using stability theory of differential equations. Model analysis reveals that the educational programmes are helpful in reduction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. But if reduction rate of carbon footprint by educated people is small, increase in execution rate of educational programmes and/or dissemination rate of education among people cannot effectively curtail CO2 emissions. Moreover, for high values of reduction rate coefficient of carbon footprint, atmospheric concentration of CO2 may not get stabilised. Numerical simulation is carried out to illustrate the theoretical findings.