It is the task of the current generation to leave the living environment for future generations in a condition that is as good as or better than the one it is in today. Therefore it is important that all the members of society contribute to environmental protection to the best of their abilities. Nature protection and caring for the environment starts from the knowledge and attitudes of the people and therefore the EIC supports various activities aimed namely at increasing the awareness, educating and changing the attitudes of the people.
Grants aimed at increasing environmental awareness are awarded from three sources: Environmental Programme, ERDF and European Social Fund. The activities supported from each of these sources of financing differ somewhat and have been explained in more detail in the menu subsections, but in brief the activities can be divided as follows:
The aim of the Environmental Programme is to shape the values and behaviour patterns of the residents of Estonia into environmentally sustainable ones through awareness increasing activities and the promotion of environmental education supporting national curricula.
The environmental education infrastructure grants are aimed at improving and harmonising the availability of environmental education through the development of an appropriate infrastructure.
The environmental education development grants are aimed at improving the knowledge, skills and competences of specialists engaged in the provision of environmental education, thereby increasing their competitiveness in finding employment to meet their qualification.
While the environmental awareness programme receives applications for grants every year (generally twice a year), the only application round under the environmental education infrastructure development measure has now been closed and applications are currently being evaluated. In order to use the funds from the environmental education development measure, the Ministry of the Environment will prepare a program and the Environmental Board will implement the activities.
