Environmental problems have been one of the major challenges facing humanity. Nigeria, like many other nations has put in place environmental related programmes and policies in the quest to restore environmental quality and to sustain it. But despite these Programmes much has not been achieved. The question is what could be responsible for this failure? Is it as a result of natural phenomena or manmade? This paper therefore, examines the dimensions of environmental degradation, and the consequences of humans’ unfriendly attitude to the resource base. The data collected were purely secondary data retrieved from books, journals, official publications e.t.c. The context analytical approach was adopted as a tool for analysis of data. Findings reveal that the present attitude towards the environment is still very unfriendly in spite of the effort to raise people’s awareness through series of conferences, seminars and workshops on environment. These efforts could not bring about the attitudinal change that is required for sustainable environment. The hazardous environmental issues in the Niger Delta and many other mining sites like Jos, Enugu, etc. attest to this fact. The paper recommends, among others that environmental education is the most viable tool that can help to develop responsible attitude and behaviors that will help sustain the resource base – air, water, land/soil, and mineral resources, leading to sustainable development.

Education, Environment, Degradation, Sustainable Development