Environmental Education and Management of Environmental Crises in the Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex Area

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of environmental education in improving environmental crisis management within the Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex area. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of nature and method. The statistical population consisted of employees, experts, and individuals involved in environmental and managerial activities in the Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex area. Based on Cochran's formula, ۲۲۰ individuals were selected as the sample size, and ultimately ۲۰۸ analyzable questionnaires were used. The data collection tool was a researcher-made ۳۰-item questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which yielded a value of ۰.۹۱ for the entire questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression, were used for data analysis employing SPSS version ۲۶. The findings showed a positive and significant relationship between environmental education and environmental crisis management (r = ۰.۶۲, p < ۰.۰۱). Furthermore, the regression analysis results indicated that environmental education explained ۳۸% of the variance in environmental crisis management (R² = ۰.۳۸, β = ۰.۵۷). Among the examined components, environmental awareness had the highest mean, while restoration and damage mitigation had the lowest mean. The results suggest that environmental education can effectively enhance prevention, preparedness, and response to environmental crises. However, to improve performance in the restoration and damage mitigation phase, more practical, skill-oriented, and scenario-based training is required.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environmental education ، Crisis management ، Environmental crises ، Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex ، Crisis preparedness ، Environmental prevention