Afat Shovkat Nametova

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AS A PRIORITY DIRECTION  OF THE MODERN PEDAGOGICAL PROCESS

Abstract. The article examines the role of environmental education in the modern pedagogical process, the place of the concept of environmental safety within the educational system, and the theoretical and methodological foundations of developing environmental consciousness awareness. Based on scientific approaches reflected in both national local and international sources, the study substantiates that environmental education is a significant factor in ensuring sustainable development, reducing environmental risks, and fostering socially responsible individuals. The author’s key thesis emphasizes the necessity the research emphasizes, as a key thesis proposed by the author, the necessity of presenting the concept of environmental safety as one of the core categories of the pedagogical process framework. In conclusion, it is argued that the formation of environmentally aware, responsible, and active citizens is possible only through systematic, democratic, and internationally aligned integrated environmental education.

Keywords: environmental education, pedagogical process, environmental awareness, sustainable development, social responsibility