The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) white paper on environmental education states that it "is a unique concept that has roots in science but application in socioeconomics. As the coastal environment is being seriously and negatively impacted by stressors associated with the dramatic increases in population growth in this Gulf Coast region, effective environmental education is more important then ever.
Environmental education throughout the Gulf Coast has a three-fold mission: to increase the public's awareness and knowledge of the environment and its associated challenges, to develop the necessary critical thinking skills and subsequent plans to address those challenges, and to foster proactive attitudes in order to implement positive, responsible environmental actions. This mission is addressed through both formal and informal education." From the Gulf of Mexico Alliance White Paper: Environmental Education in the Gulf States.
