According to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there are so many environmental challenges to solve in the third decade of the 21st century.
This global plan was created to make the world more prosperous and people more respectful towards the environment. Particularly, it’s aimed at resolving the main environmental issues, some of which are listed below.
Excessive food production
The production of food has become too intensive, which results in harm to the environment. Scientists say that it depletes the soil and damages marine ecosystems. Besides, natural resource overexploitation puts the availability of drinking water at risk.
Therefore, the food production model must be changed to a more sustainable one. It’s also essential to change our eating habits and shift to a more plant-based diet consisting of local ingredients.
Climate change
According to the statistics, CO2 emissions have increased by almost 50% since 1990, which is a huge rise. This accelerates global warming that threatens the survival of ecosystems and millions of people, causing disasters like droughts, fires, and floods.
Climate change requires some measures to mitigate its effects, according to students’ essays on global warming, which has become one of the most frequently discussed topics in schools and colleges. We also need to adapt to the negative consequences caused by these changes if we want to fully enjoy our lives.
Pollution
As The World Health Organization has estimated, nearly 90% of the planet’s population breathes polluted air. Hence, to cut the rates of respiratory illnesses and prevent deaths, air pollution must be reduced.
Another major problem causing nearly five million deaths a year is water contamination. To solve it, we need at least to minimize the use of chemicals and eliminate dumping.
Energy waste
Paradoxically, while energy accounts for nearly 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 13% of the planet’s population lack access to electricity, according to the UN calculations.
What’s more, can you imagine that approximately 3 billion people depend on fossil fuels for everyday needs? As you might understand, we need an energy transition towards a cleaner and more efficient model based on the use of renewable energy sources.
These are just a few problems that we face now, not to mention ocean acidification caused by the increase in the earth’s average temperature, destruction of animal habitats, damages to natural heritage, and so on.
These issues are included in the list of the most popular collected environment essay topics among students all over the world. All this makes more and more people choose education programs in Environmental Science so that they can do something for the environment after graduation. If you want to learn more about scholarships in this field, keep reading the article!
First steps
If you’ve decided to study Environmental Science for free, you need to find opportunities for funding. There are a few options for you:
- grants are usually given to gifted students with low income;
- scholarships are typically awarded for some qualifications and come from governments, schools, private businesses, or non-profit organizations;
- fellowships are mainly very specific and used for graduate education in science.
Before you apply, explore all the possibilities available and look for those that meet your interests. Note that, as was mentioned above, a scholarship is awarded on merit, rather than need. Also, qualifying for it depends mostly on its type, which means that it can be based on academic achievements, location, religion, and many other factors. Thus, most importantly, you need to find a research scholarship that you are eligible to receive.
Where to look for scholarships?
Some of the typical places to look for scholarships are local community groups, such as churches, business organizations, chambers of commerce, and foundations. They often offer some scholarships to people from their home region. Also, some unions may provide scholarships for their members.
Today, many government agencies can be a source of funding for Environmental Sciences programs as well. If you have already selected a college to attend, you can check if it has available scholarships too.
Even though nothing listed above seems to work for you, you can still contact the company you want to work at after graduation and inquire as to whether or not they could fund your schooling. Note that many business owners get inspired by motivated and dedicated hard-workers, so they might help you.
Qualifying for Environmental Science scholarships
For most individuals, the application process seems to be very intimidating because they are not confident enough in their qualifications. However, the terms that applicants need to meet are usually well spelled out. They generally include a certain grade point average, perhaps a PSAT score, home and school location, and so on. These qualifiers can help you immediately understand if you meet all requirements, so you can know if you need to keep searching for other alternatives.
The best scholarships in Environmental Studies
- Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education offers a lot of different scholarships for young people interested in the global sustainability movement.
- Brower Youth Awards gives six awards each year to young environmentalists aged 13-22. These scholarships are aimed at raising the awareness of the youth and making a difference in the world through innovative sustainable projects.
- Brown and Caldwell, an engineering company focused on environmental consulting, offers different scholarships in general and specific fields.
- The National Park Service, working on preserving and maintaining National Parks, provides scholarships and fellowships for students who might be interested in collaborations with this organization.
- The S. Green Building Council, a private non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in design and construction, also ensures funding for some students.
Final thoughts
Environmental problems are becoming more acute in recent years. Because of that, many people decide to research them and look for some solutions. Luckily, there are many free options to do that and help our planet. Hopefully, this article gave you some valuable insights on how to find and get a scholarship for an Environmental Studies program.
Connie Elser is an academic writer and researcher. Connie studies environmental issues and the most efficient ways to deal with them. She believes that now people must pay more attention to such issues so that we can make the world a better place.
