Resilience of Greek Communities Hosting Climate Migrants: The Perceptions of Environmental Educators

Abstract

Today’s rapid increase of climate change impacts has led, undeniably, to a sharp rise of climate migratory flows, a fact that affects host communities as well. Given the intense pressures that the hosting regions are facing, due to such massive arrivals of refugees, it is of tremendous importance the appropriate training of hosting communities in order to raise their resilience and mitigate their vulnerability. Education for sustainable development is imperative in order to avoid the negative consequences of refugees’ inflow and maintain the stability of the region. This research aimed to evaluate the perceptions of the trainees of the second Summer Academy of Environmental Educators toward the refugee crisis that Greece is being confronted with. This Academy, stationed at Skyros Island, is being conducted under the administration of the multi-awarded “Skyros Project,” which is the result of the innovative partnership of the Research Unit of Environmental Education and Communication of the University of the Aegean with the Skyros Port Authority. Thirty environmental educator trainees were interviewed, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Their opinions toward refugee crisis, the solutions that could help Greeks to avoid destructive impacts of refugee crisis, and whether the use of educational programs could contribute to building resilience and adaptation to Greek communities hosting refugees were evaluated.