By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Worried by the challenges of climate change and its resultant effects on the society, children from across the country yesterday converged on the nation’s capital to rob minds on the challenges of climate change.
The event which was at the instance of Save the Children International (SCI), Nigeria, was meant to harmonize the position of the children and present to the federal government.
Speaking, Nana Aisha Kabir from Kaduna Children Parliament, called on government at all levels to educate citizens on the need to build houses in highlands to avoid flooding.
She expressed worry that flood in recent times swept communities within the riverine areas, saying there should be more advocacies to safe lives.
Similar. Shamiga Doose Rita from Benue Children Parliament, urged government to create opportunities green jobs in the country.
She also called for the need to address the challenges of people displaced by floods.
Also, Osina Kaghini-nse, from Cross River Children Parliament, urged government to create alternative for fossil fuel.
He also harped on the need to discourage deforestation in the country.
On his part, Save the Children International (SCI), Nigeria, Director of Advocacy, Campaign, Communication and Media, Amanuel Mamo, said experts in the area, opine that the earth is now one degree centigrade warmer than the pre-industrial period, with evidence of high and increasing negative impacts on human lives.
“As a result, in the coming years, droughts are expected to intensify, rainfall variability is projected to increase, extreme weather events will persist, new human and livestock diseases are projected to increase, new conflicts over the decreasing resources will increase and more people will be displaced by the rising oceans, floods, wildfire, drought and expanding deserts and the like. That is what we generally referred to as effects of “climate change”. All concerned parties need to take an urgent action before it is too late.
“Climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our time. It is a grave threat to children and their rights. “Child rights” might not even survive a global climate catastrophe. We have created a huge environmental debt to our children and the future generation. Children have contributed the least to the climate crisis, and yet we know that they are paying the highest price.
“While children share many of the same rights as adults, their violations due to climate change are experienced with greater severity due to their physiological and psychological vulnerabilities.”
He added that children have a number of specific rights, such as the right to childhood, to primary education and to protection – all of which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“As a part of Save the Children’s flagship campaign initiative, Generation Hope, that focuses on addressing key climate change drivers, particularly for children facing acute inequality and discrimination, we are happy to be able to organize Children’s National COP28 Simulation.
“The simulation is a unique initiative designed to amplify the voices, choices and perspectives of children in climate discussions leading up to COP28 (Conference of Parties 28), World Climate Summit. As you may already know, COP28 is an important international conference where countries convene to discuss and negotiate actions for combating climate change, building upon commitments and progress being made from the previous COP meetings.
Therefore, the “Children Climate Ambassadors Forum” and the “Climate Action Assembly”, that will take place today and tomorrow respectively, is organized with an aim to enable children have their say in the decision-making process of an issue that affect them. It serves as a vital platform for collaboration, policy enhancement, and innovation in our collective efforts to address climate challenges in Nigeria and the world.”
