Environmental sustainability and green technology development is an international need that has driven major developments in environmental technology especially on biodegradable items development and environmental surveillance. It is a critical review of how industrial innovation and policy frameworks can be amalgamated towards the promotion of sustainable environmental management practices. This paper examines and discusses the role of environmental awareness as a foundational element of encouraging the adoption of green technology through systematic study of the environmental education programs of secondary schools in the region of Owerri and Mbaise of Imo State Nigeria. The study is done using comparative case study methodology where data collected on 210 students in six schools are examined to determine the levels of environmental awareness, attitudes, and engagement in environmental activities. Results indicate that 83.7% of the respondents in Owerri and 71.2% in Mbaise exhibit the level of environmental concepts awareness, and the education exposure and pro-environmental behavior have significant correlations. According to the study, the gaps in the content delivery of environmental education are critical with half of students being satisfied with the existing curriculums. The assessment of the development trends in biodegradable materials suggests that there is significant advancement in polymer science, and the focus is on the principles of a circular economy and waste reduction plans. Monitoring systems regarding the environment have also changed considerably with Internet of Things integration and smart city projects, where real-time data can be collected and analyzed. It is observed that industrial innovation should also be seen as a key contributing factor to the development of green technologies, which is sustained by the policy frameworks that promote sustainable practices. The study shows that effective environmental education along with technological innovation and conducive policies have synergistic effects in promoting the environmental sustainability objectives.
Anyanwu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.