January 31, 2015 [TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE] Indian Institute of Social Reform & Research | 1 PARTICIPATION IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN IN SUNDARBAN DELTA IN RELATION TO THEIR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION Rita Shome [1] Dr. Bijon Sarkar [2] Dr. Asit Kr. Das [3] [1] Asst. Professor & Head, Dept. of Education, Sagar Mahavidyalaya [2] Associate Professor, Dept. of Education, University of Kalyani [3] Former Dean,SW, University of Kalyani Abstract Anthropogenic activities are causing environmental degradation, which is now in an alarming rate and it is resulting various environmental issues like global warming, ozone layer depletion, greenhouse effects, and raise in sea water level, improper monsoon, acid rain etc. It has been identified and accepted that education is an essential tool for achieving sustainable development, and ‘UN decade of Education for Sustainable Development’ (2005-2014) is running on. The present study has been undertaken to observe the relative impact of formal educational qualification on participation in environmental sustainability among women of the Sundarban delta in West Bengal, India. A survey conducted on a sample of 570 women from Sundarban delta. The result reveals that women’s participation in environmental sustainability is gradually increasing with uplifting of formal educational qualification. Moreover, women with higher secondary level of education are differing significantly from those of lower secondary level in participation towards environmental sustainability. So, the inclusion of environment related topics in subjects of lower secondary curriculum could make the formal education process more effective to attending environmental sustainability. Key words: Sustainable development, Educational qualification, Sundarban delta, Secondary level Introduction Today, the major factor that causing deterioration to environmental health is anthropogenic disturbance (WCED, 1987).The earth has a natural balance, but the growth in consumption and unbalanced consumption patterns are placing unprecedented pressure on the earth’s natural environment (UNDP, The Human Development Reports, 1998), that makes it difficult for the earth to renew itself. Now, environmental degradation is not only a threat to the quality of life but also a threat to human survival (Dunlop and Merting, 1995). In this light, the acceptance and adoption of sustainable life-style is an urgent issue in protecting environment, because sustainability is not just about conserving our resources, it is about changing our culture to make conservation a way of life. It has been identified and accepted unanimously that, ‘Education is an essential tool for achieving sustainable development’, because, education at all levels can shape the world of tomorrow, equipping individuals and societies with the skills, perspectives, knowledge and values to live and work in a sustainable manner (The World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). The present study aimed to observe the solution with studying the relative impact of educational qualification on participation in environmental sustainability. It is generally believed that women are more concern about environment. In last two five years plans in India it has affirmed that women are active participants rather than passive recipients of change. With accepting all these, the study carried on moderately vulnerable women from two islands of Sagar block (Sagar and Ghoramara) at the world heritage site Sundarbans, West Bengal, India.