By Yussif Ibrahim
Fumesua (Ash), Aug. 15, GNA – The Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) is intensifying its school outreach programme to educate children on their roles in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The aim is to provide the youth with the requisite knowledge and skills that will help them to take urgent steps to reduce the impacts of climate change now and in the future.
Dr Mrs Gloria Djaney Djagbletey, Head of Forest and Climate Change Division of FORIG and Co-ordinator of the Schools Outreach Programme told the Ghana News Agency that, the outreach programme also sought to champion climate change awareness and sensitization campaigns in basic schools and communities in Ghana.
Climate change, she said had become one of the leading global crises characterised by floods, fires, drought, and famine across the world with devastating impacts.
Dr Djagbletey said children as the future leaders, needed to have adequate information to enable them take decisions and actions that would help reduce the impact of climate change on their lives.
She said a team of research scientists from FORIG had already visited the pupils of Okyerekrom Basic School and the Riverside Academy, all at Fumesua as part of the outreach programme.
The pupils were sensitized on climate change, its negative effects and measures that could be taken as young people to help reduce its impact.
They were also supported to plant trees in their schools and within the catchment areas.
Dr Djagbletey encouraged the pupils to be disciplined and take their studies seriously to become responsible adults in the future.
She highlighted the changing and variable nature of the climate, its causes, and effects as well as how to make life comfortable for everyone.
She said forests were the main carbon sequestration machinery in the environment that could help control the negative effects of climate change and urged the pupils to always plant trees and care for them in their communities.
Dr Djagbletey also encouraged the pupils to always keep their environment clean and work to become agents of change by educating their friends, families, and community members on the need to protect the environment.
Dr Mrs Beatrice Darko-Obiri, Deputy Director of FORIG charged the pupils to be good stewards of the environment.
She emphasized the need to take good care of trees, animals, water bodies, soil, air, forests, etc. for the good of the present generation and in the interest of future generations.
The pupils had the opportunity to visit the National Tree Seed Centre located in the Institute and the tree nursery, for a better understanding of the life cycle of trees and their role in absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere.
GNA