THE IEC APPROACH
by Antonio C. Antonio
September 24, 2014
There are several approaches in popularizing environmental
advocacies. The most basic of which is
the IEC Approach. But what is the IEC
Approach? Is there anything more basic
than the simple expediency of talking or evangelizing about the importance of a
healthy environment? I should emphasize
that an environmental advocacy cannot be as simple as standing on a street
corner and endlessly talking with the use of a public address system. We would only add to noise pollution and get
a lot of people irate by doing this.
Demagoguery and environmentalism cannot mix; and posers can
easily be unmasked. Although
environmental information, data and statistics can be researched, the dynamics
of ecosystems and environmental science in general can only be fully understood
through a formal education. The guidance
of learned professionals and experts in the academe will certainly put more logic
and order in the mindset of a genuine environment advocate. The processing of traditional and new
environmental information and knowledge can only be systematically done by a
trained mind. And only a trained mind
can effectively gather facts, figures and evidence, analyze raw environmental
information, and communicate the same to others.
An environmental advocacy must be approached in a structured
way so that the processed information can be transmitted in a manner and
language that is easily understood by the public. The IEC Approach stands for the triadic approach
called information-education-communication.
How does the IEC Approach work?
The accompanying image details a simple process flow.
- An environmental advocate, presumably trained in environmental science, manages a study and research on the environmental information and knowledge he/she intends to popularize;
- Such environmental knowledge are transmitted to the public using an IEC platform; and,
- A feedback mechanism to update, reformat and recalibrate knowledge to be re-transmitted again to the public.
This is a never-ending process of information and knowledge
transmission and feedback between the environmental advocate and the
public. The success and effectiveness of
this approach will depend largely on the presence of three elements/conditions
in both the advocate/s and the public --- (1) KNOWLEDGE – Widespread knowledge of the issues
involved; (2) BELIEF – Internalizing a firm belief in the cause by which an
advocacy exists; and, (3) COMMITMENT – The willingness to tirelessly defend and
pursue a cause. This is the IEC
Approach.
Just my
little thoughts…
(Please
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