Uganda holds first ever climate change forum for children
Minister Flavia Munaba (L) with Joseph Masembe (R) Uganda's little hands go green boss at the children climate change conference PHOTO BY MARTIN SSEBUYIRA
Kampala.
It all started with children from different schools presenting causes of climate change in the best way they understood it after conducting thorough research.
The students then took time to describe the effects, possible solutions and mitigation measures of climate change using power point presentations, drama and poems.
The events organized by Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green, a civil society advocating for environment protection among children left different environmentalists and Environment Minister, Ms Flavia Munaba overwhelmed.
“I think we should encourage these children to take on science courses to help us with use of modern renewable energies to reduce the heavy dependency on biomass where 85percent of Ugandans use kerosene for lighting and 90percent of the country’s energy being generated from unsustainable biomass resource exploitation that has led to a loss of an estimated 90,000 hectares of forests annually,” Minister Munaba said.
Mr Joseph Masembe, Chief Executive Officer, Little Hands Go Green said that their objective was to instill a sense of environmental stewardship in children.
“We are using the drive and ambitions of children to commandeer a sense of pride and ownership of this environmental fight because are the future inheritors of this planet,” he said.
The event attracted about 100 child delegates and over 30 schools from Entebbe and Kampala to bring environmental conservation education to the forefront on climate change.
He also urged scientists to device means of developing alternative energy sources if Uganda is to triumph the fight of putting an end to environment degradation.
Mr Don Innocent Wanyama, Monitor Publications Managing Editor who was a panelist at the event said the conference was timely because it targets children who are the future leaders of Uganda.
“We hope the deliberations sink in these children’s minds to become future ambassadors of environment conservation," he said.
Utility
Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green is a movement that pioneers new form of Civic responsibility and leadership in the fight against Climate Change that involves children under 13 to mitigate climate change for the good of their generation.
