January 26, 2022
By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
The Focal Person of Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in Sierra Leone, Henry Bayoh has said that environmental education will help create collective action to protect the environment
He made this statement on the International Day of Education, which is celebrated every year on January 24, 2022. Since 2018, Jan 24 is celebrated as International education day.
This year marks the fourth year of celebration and the theme is ‘Changing Course, Transforming Education’.
‘’Education is key to a sustainable future. To transform education, we need solutions adapted to regions, communities and individuals. Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions,’’Mr Bayoh said,
He added that the goal of environmental education is to instill pro-environmental behaviors, foster collective environmental action, and/or to develop healthy and productive citizens.
“With the world experiencing more frequent and more extreme weather events, climate change education is more important than ever before – a fact increasingly recognized by governments and many stakeholders working in the field of education”, he noted.
Mr. Bayoh said education can encourage people to change their attitudes and behavior.
He explained that education teaches people about the impacts of climate change and how to adapt to it and furthered that education, training, public awareness, and public access to information are key components of the global response to climate change, and are crucial for the rapid and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Under article 12 of the Paris Agreement, Parties committed to “cooperate in taking measures, as appropriate, to enhance climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information, recognizing the importance of these steps with respect to enhancing actions under this Agreement.”
Mr. Bayoh stated that Youth education represents one of the most effective tools to combat the destructive potential of climate change and cultivate an international understanding among members of the next generation since it is a long-term process that will impact an infinite number of future generations.
“Educating younger generations about climate change and other environmental degradation is important, as they will be the future leaders. The climate crisis is no longer a threat of a distant future, but a matter of global reality. Thus, there is no solution without education” ’he said.
Education he said must be deeply anchored in the sustainable world we wish to create, and furthered that since the establishment of the World Education Forum, there has been tremendous worldwide progress towards achieving the goals set out in the agenda to achieve the wide-ranging education goals by 2030.