In recent years, a characteristic feature of the development of society is an adjustment for industrialization that leads to numerous crises on a global scale in the various spheres of human activity, including an environmental crisis. Environmental security is a crucial basis for the existence and the progressive development of human society. It is an axiom that does not require proof and is not debatable. Mankind has no right to any errors that may disrupt the harmony in the environment, since it is potentially irreversible consequence primarily for himself. In this regard, questions of its security are paramount in government policy, and in the life of every person. Thus, attention to social and state structures in the first place should be focused on measures aimed at preventing harm to the environment. One of the important preventive factors in environmental safety are the increase of environmental education and culture of the people and, in particular, the younger generation. The article examines the environmental education and enhancement of ecological culture as the basis of the entire system of preventive measures in the field of environmental safety. Special attention is given to citizenship education in conjunction with efforts to prevent harm to the environment. Also the current state and trends of environmental education directly related to the process of civic education of youth is analyzed. Raise of environmental culture in the minds of the population, especially in the minds of the younger generation is a crucial step towards the development of human personality, a citizen, successfully carrying out this as their livelihoods, understanding of safe environmental development and striving for its realization.

В статье рассматривается процесс формирования экологического правосознания, ведущую роль в котором играет экологическое образование. Отдельное внимание уделено такому направлению современных преобразований в образовательной сфере, как «образование для устойчивого развития», реализация которого гарантирует обществу подготовку специалистов с развитым экологическим правосознанием, способных обеспечить правовую защиту человеку, обществу и природе.