A comparative study on the environmental behavior of engineering students

Abstract

UNESCO documents state that Action for Climate Empowerment is implemented through education which has a crucial role to play in climate change, building capacities and attitudes for climate change mitigation as well as stimulating and reinforcing understanding of, and attentiveness of climate change. A particular attention should be paid to engineering programmes as engineers contribute to building a sustainable society, present and future, use resources efficiently and effectively, seek multiple views to solve sustainability challenges and manage risk to minimise adverse impact on people or environment. In turn, mathematics is seen as an instrument for sustainable development. In the light of the above considerations the purpose of the study is to find out the ways how the United Nations SDGs are being pursued in engineering education, courses on sustainable development at different Baltic Network in Agrometrics universities and theoretical or specialty subject providing information about a sustainable approach to the environment. To implement Action for Climate Empowerment through education, the purpose of the study is to assess the ecological intelligence of emerging engineering professionals and to identify measures taken daily by students to reduce the impact of CO2 as well as to identify areas that should be given more attention in the intensive mathematics course to be developed by the universities of the Baltic Network in Agrometrics. Analysing students’ personal contribution to emission reductions, they understand the harmful effects of CO2 emissions on the atmosphere, but not all of surveyed approve of their personal contribution to reducing them.