Abstract: The object of this research is the ecological-cultural concept, which is based on the theory of the noosphere. Special emphasis is placed on the ethical ecology. The author explores the essence and specificity of the noospheric reality, as well as the role of the new scientific direction – ecology of culture in development of the ideas of environmental safety in modern world. The subject of this research is the aesthetic education in the context of the ecology of culture, the concept formulated by the Academician D. S. Likhachev. The author believes that aesthetic education in the context of the ecology of culture is an irreplaceable instrument for the formation of environmental competencies of an individual. The concept of aesthetic education developed by B. T. Likhachev, as well as the latest approaches in art therapy are used as the examples. Analysis is conducted on the theoretical and practical literature that allows revealing the essence and specificity of aesthetic education in light of the ecological-cultural concept. The acquired results can be used in the development of academic programs and methodologies in the field of aesthetic education and art therapy for dealing with different population categories. The novelty consists in the fact that this article is  first to examine the essence and specificity of aesthetic education in the context of ecological-cultural concept based on the representations of the noosphere. The author's contribution consists in comparison of different, at first glance, concepts (the theory of noosphere, ecological-cultural concept, concept of aesthetic education) and obtain the results that are relevant for both, theoretical research and practical use. The main conclusions are as follows:
1. The development of ecological-cultural representations is fully implemented only in the context of the theory of noosphere.
2. The aesthetic education in the context of the ecology of culture is currently a powerful instrument for the formation of environmental competencies of an individual.