Journal of Environment and Earth Science www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3216 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0948 (Online) Vol.5, No.12, 2015 128 Religion and Sustainable Environmental Education in Nigeria DR. PATRICK E. ELUU Department of Arts and Social Science Education, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki Abstract Environmental changes have been a source of concern to Nigerian experts and one of the greatest challenges of our time. As a sustainable environmental education remains elusive in Nigeria, this paper examines the viability of using religion as a potent strategy to combat the myriad of environmental problems that have bedeviled the country in recent times. In doing so, the study investigates the environmental ethics and values as embedded in Christianity, and a touch of Islam and African Traditional Religions. The study finds that there have been proliferation of religious worship centres even in residential areas, uncompleted buildings as well as littering of the streets with posters, sign posts and the use of public address systems which are sources of noise pollution. The study recommends amongst others, that stakeholders should create avenue through which adequate education is given to the students and the masses on the preservation of natural resources and healthy environment. Keywords: Religion, Sustainable and Environmental Education Introduction In recent times environmental changes have been a source of concern to Nigerian experts and have generated discussions and consciousness of people around the globe. Everyone is aware of the fact that the physical, chemical as well as the biological (ecological)nerve of the globe is being compromised on daily basis as the world continues to witness serious environmental disasters. Agha (2003), opined that destroying our environment which has been on going, automatically meant destroying ourselves. The fact is that human efforts must be directed towards the preservation of our forests, lakes, and rivers, mineral resources, grasslands and animals. We must guard against the gross misuse of our environment and one of the ways of achieving this is for the teachers and leaders to build awareness in their communities of their responsibility for the integrity of creation. Man’s insatiable demand for ever dwindling resources propelled by the greed of the present generation, which gives little thought to the survival of future generation has indeed imposed tremendous strains and stresses on the environment putting the planet into perilous danger. This ever constant danger of destruction and putting to disuse of the environment has been a source of concern for governments, international bodies, environmental stakeholders and individuals around the globe. As for us, Nigeria is not isolated from this widespread concern about sustainability of the environment in whatever caption aimed at averting the ever increasing environmental degradation and desertification all over the country. The environmental degradation and poor sanitary conditions which have affected Nigeria in recent years have gained various expressions such as global warming, desertification, deforestation, environmental pollution and other negative environmental acronyms. Consequently, the Federal Government of Nigeria in order to proffer solution to the ever increasing desertification in 1988 established the Federal Environmental protection Agency charged with the responsibility of safeguarding Nigerian environment for sustainable development. Ogunkan (2010), reports that the Federal Government in 1999 created the ministry of Environment to absorb and take over the functions of EEPA, with an added responsibility of administering and enforcing environmental laws in Nigeria. In the same vein, Ebong (2001) considering the seriousness of the campaigns for environmental protection, affirm that various organizations in the country have also spearheaded campaigns, political activities and jingles for changes in policies, laws, technologies, and development strategies to enhance environmental qualities in the country. It is against the backdrop of seemingly intractability of environmental problems in Nigeria that this study examines the viability of using religion as a potent instrument to achieve sustainable environmental education in Nigeria since men and women, adult and children are all involved in religioning and environmental depletion. Relevance of Religion to Environment Fundamental significance of religion has been confirmed by the experience of human life. In situations of insecurity, natural disaster, anxiety, failures, frustrations, poverty, sickness and death, the solutions are always directed to the leadership and creation of awareness and education on the part of the people. In view of this observation, religion manifest a kind of model for leadership in which our contemporary society should learn from and make use of without which our society will continue to be at risk as ever before, as pointed out by Porrit (1991:92), that “we have contaminated lands and rivers with poison, fouled shorelines and oceans with massive spills of oil and altered the chemistry of the air on which life depends.”