The Katsina State Government, with the support of UNICEF, has mobilised youth groups to plant 100,000 trees, to combat climate change in the state, through the Green Rising Nigeria Movement project.
The project is aimed at creating Nigeria Green champions of change initiative, tagged, ‘One Movement, 100,000 Journeys’.
Stella Okafor-Terver, UNICEF WASH Programme Officer, Kano Field Office made this known while addressing participants at a one-day sensitisation workshop in Katsina on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
The workshop was organised through the state Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, and that of Environment, to sensitise participants on the Green Rising Nigeria movement.
According to her, UNICEF initiates the movement for 100,000 tree planting, turning plastic waste into wealth, and also mobilises youths for climate change actions.
Mrs Okafor-Terver further explained that “the workshop was a follow-up to the youth group identification meeting which was held in August.
“The workshop attracted about 30 different youth groups with about 100 youths in attendance, focusing on the fight against climate change impact on children and open defecation.
“The Green Rising 9ja movement is a UNICEF initiative through Generation Unlimited (GenU), aimed at raising awareness on climate change impacts among youth, public sectors and private sector partners.
“The movement aspires to mobilise and support 10 million children and young people in developing countries to take grassroots action to protect and adapt to the impact of climate change by 2025,” Mrs Okafor-Terver said.
She added that the movement involves tree planting, youth mobilisation, plastic waste recycling and the creation of a voluntary army to support efforts in addressing climate change in schools, communities, and healthcare centres among others.
The WASH programme officer revealed that the workshop is aimed at opening the minds of the youth and young people to develop green skills via formal or informal training.
“The movement also plans to support about 10 million young people in developing countries to take grassroots actions on climate change to ensure a conducive environment.
“The Green Rising 9ja movement is already making strides in this regard,” Mrs Okafor-Terver said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Muntari Kado, represented by the Director of Climate change in the ministry, described the UNICEF movement as timely.
He noted that the state government is committed to combating climate change, as it plans to plant one million trees in the coming year.
According to him, the state government is also planning to demolish all structures in dam areas and along other waterways to ensure a conducive environment and prevent flooding.
He pointed out that the decision was a clear indication of the state government’s support for UNICEF.
The permanent secretary said that the Green Rising Nigeria movement would yield positive results by encouraging youth involvement in the fight against climate change in the state.
In his contribution, the Director of Forestry, Muhammad Nasir-Iliyasu, emphasised the need for youth to adopt the culture of nurturing trees to maturity to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Green Rising Nigeria is a new initiative from UNICEF, Generation Unlimited, and a wide ecosystem of public, private, and youth partners to support the global mobilisation of millions of young people – at a grassroots level – to take concrete green actions.
This is to protect and adapt to the devastating impact that climate change is exerting on their families, neighbours, villages, towns, and cities.
The Green Rising commits to contribute to a just green transition in which the most vulnerable youth are empowered with the education, skills, and opportunities to be champions for the planet.
UNICEF will support 10 million young people to take action by 2025.
