The central role of youth in fostering environmental education- Camille and Kaluki
With the ever increasing and eminent threats to the integrity of Global biodiversity, the fate of nature and conservation is yet at stake. Despite the naturally induced influences and calamities that interrupt ecosystem integrity, human factors and influences have also played a devastating role in accelerating environmental degradation. It is clear and obvious that the high population growth rates around the globe are posing extremely high external pressure onto natural resources, their fate and sustenance potentials.
The ultimate need to derive human satisfaction from nature; its goods and services has brought about indiscriminate and unsustainable use of the natural resources that thrive on the earth surface. Environmental education has been identified as a major and critical approach to streamlining the mindsets of the public towards appreciating the value of conserving and protecting natural heritage.
In a youth-led GLF-live series, Kaluki Paul of Youth4Nature and the Youth In Landscapes, Camille Sylvester from Roots and Shoots of the Jane Goodall Institute pin-point to the central role of youth as focal points in environmental education. Comprising a great proportion of the Global population are youth, who fall central to the impacts of policy decisions made by statutory bodies, national and international agencies. Additionally, the youth portray a broad sense of innovation, through sustainable approaches to save the planet. According to Camille, exclusion of youth from policy and decision making spheres would rather end up in policies that take into less account the youth agenda; with minimal or no representation of ideas from the youth perspective. The Jane Goodall Institute has for a while championed environmental education and conservation efforts through the roots and shoots programs across the globe. Kaluki also highlights on the passion and enthusiasm portrayed by the young people in drives to save the planet from the ecological crises through advocacy.
Several youth around the globe have proved pro-active in boosting environmental education; through a varied lens of approaches. These are not limited to restoration initiatives, offline and digital campaigns, knowledge sharing sessions, practical species conservation efforts; all aimed at fostering environmental advocacy thus protection. It turns out most inevitably that there is still limited support directed towards funding and supporting youth sustainability programs aimed at saving the planet from biodiversity loss and adverse climate change impacts.
Youth today posses the power and zeal in mobilizing from amidst their peers to engage in activities to protect the environment. Several global campaigns have been championed by the youth; Global Climate strikes, regional focal campaigns; Save the Congo rain-forest, Save Bugoma forest, Match for Giraffes and Rhinos; and many more are a replica of environmental sensitivity and responsibility.
Nonetheless, more effort is still necessitated in re-igniting and boosting capacities of the youth to promote environmental education and advocacy on a global scale. There still is much to be done to support young individuals, youth groups and organisations; morally, materially and financially to implement sustainable projects and engagements that take into account socio-economic and environmentally friendly impacts onto their local communities. Inclusion of the youth in the policy atmosphere is also vital in promoting holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental advocacy, education and conservation.
Roots and shoots of the Jane Goodall Institute:
https://www.janegoodall.org/our-work/our-approach/roots-shoots/
Human induced environmental threats:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats
Youth In Landscapes Initiative:
https://youth.globallandscapesforum.org
