#ClimateSmartKids

Project Description: 

Climate change and its effect in recent times have become a global emergency. With the earth warming above 3⁰C, there is need for the world to develop innovative solutions that will push actions by different government, to reduce carbon emission if we still desire to protect our planet. With the world recovering from the COVID-19 and witnessing the impact of a virus on mankind, there is a need to urgently declare an emergency over the climate change situations. The pandemic has gotten a vaccine to help reduce the impact but for climate change, there is no vaccine, all we have is to take action and that is our only solution.  

From country-to-country young people has become climate activists and calling for actions by world leaders. As young people push for climate justice and holding their different government accountable to be more proactive in implementing policies and climate governance there is need to sustain this call and continue to hold the government to deliver on their promises. To sustain climate action call especially in Nigeria children whose life will be affected if pre-emptive and result-oriented measures are not immediately taken must be guided to become part of this climate movement to both take precise actions and as well participate in calling for actions from the government. The Sustainable Development Goals is built on the bedrock of ‘leaving no one behind’. Therefore this project tends to not just educate children on climate change and its effect but also to help them create their stories around how they are affected and encourage them to call for more actions by the government. The project will also help them to identify the roles they can play in addressing the climate change issue and also motivate them to take climate actions and make a commitment in their little ways. 

Objectives: 

• To create a sustained awareness of climate change focusing on children between the ages of 6-17. 
• To raise a generation of young Nigerians who are greatly concerned about the environment. 
• To help children understand that they can play a role in solving climate change issues. 
• To build a country where everyone is committed to protecting the environment.  

Activities: 

• Climate and Environmental conservation training for selected school children using well-curated Climate toolkits. 
• Visitation to selected schools in Abuja, Abeokuta and Port Harcourt by young climate activists to educate children (20 schools in Abuja, 5 each in Abeokuta and Port Harcourt). 
• Setting up Environmental/Climate reality clubs and raising young climate activists 
• Planting trees and nurturing the trees as part of a commitment by these young climate activists. 
• Stakeholders’ engagement and Excursion Visits. 

 Expected Outcome: 

• Establishment of 30 Climate reality clubs in Abuja, Abeokuta and Port Harcourt. 
• 250 young climate champions trained and equipped with innovative climate and environmental education. 
• 1200 seedlings raised and nurtured. 
• Young climate champions taking climate actions to address climate emergency in their communities. 

Sustainability: 

The project will serve as a mitigation and adaptation-based program heralding multiple target schools whereby young climate champion will be raised. This project shall incorporate a developmental perspective metamorphosing into the creation of environmental clubs in selected schools. The club will meet at the Global Goals Center periodically and the center would continue to facilitate part of the project activities with supervision from the Center Manager.  

Scaling Up Methodology: 

To ensure that the voices of young people and children in Africa are actively considered for climate action and justice, the project will partner with other climate activists in selected African countries. These activists will support the project by establishing Climate Reality Clubs in their communities. This will help to call for more stronger active voices across Africa to take ambitious actions in addressing impacts of climate change crisis across the African continent.