Enviromental Education to address Negative Impacts of Copper mining in Kankoyo Township of Zambia's Copperbelt Region

With a rapid pace of economic activities that had also brought along with them a series of fallouts and negative impacts, many mining communities in Zambia did not generally receive Environmental Education on the negative impacts of mining. Using Environmental Education to address negative impacts of mining in Zambia’s Kankoyo township of Mufulira constituted the aim of this study.To achieve this aim, the study established the provision of Environmental Education among Kankoyo residents. Having done this, the nature of Environmental Education provided was assessed. Lastly, an improved version of Environmental Education suitable for Kankoyo residents was proposed.
The study predominantly used qualitative methodology. However, for further clarity, it was supplemented by quantitative methodology. Questionnaires with both closed and open ended questions were administered to Kankoyo residents while interviews were conducted for Environmental Education providers and Coordinators. Furthermore, onsite observations were conducted by the researcher.The Study’s findings confirmed reviewed literature assertions that there was Environmental Education offered to Kankoyo residents which did not incorporate in its content environmental issues related to negative impacts of copper mining.
The major recommendations of the study are the need for the inclusion of environmental issues related to copper mining in the Environmental Education programme. Another recommendation is the need for the Zambian government and its cooperation partners to work together in making Environment Education responsive to a combination of economic, social and environmental crises that make everyday life difficult in Kankoyo Township.