Connected Advocacy holds workshop on Climate Change education, Resilience

By Ajibola Adedoye

Connected Advocacy, with support from LEAP Africa and Nigeria Youth Future Funds, has held a workshop on youth discussion, climate change education and local leadership for resilience.

 

The workshop is aimed at building formidable Climate Ambassadors to champion climate action in Bayelsa, one of the oil painting-rich countries of Nigeria.

 

Prince Israel Orekha, Executive Director of Connected Advocacy,  said that the theme of the workshop “The result is Indigenous, Building Local Youth Capacity to Tackle Climate Crisis in Our Communities” focuses on erecting a community of practice for climate action.

 

Orekha said that the workshop also has the aim of empowering the shortlisted Ambassadors with the required knowledge necessary to address climate change and promote sustainable practices within their communities.

 

The Executive Director made an overview of the workshop, explaining the objectives and the significance of grassroots engagement in climate action.

 

In his welcome address, Mr Jeremiah Daganawho, Director of Climate Change, Bayelsa Ministry of Environment, prompted the Ambassadors to be good representatives of their communities.

 

He charged them to make use of the knowledge gained from the workshop to empower their communities on the trouble of climate change.

 

Daganawho noted that the vagrancies of climate change affects all and no one

should be left behind.

 

He stressed the critical part of original leadership and youth involvement in climate action, buttressing the significance of the workshop to the oil painting-rich region.

 

In his remarks, Dr. Ayodele Oyedeji from institute of Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Water Sheds, Niger Delta University, spoke on the conception and wisdom of climate change and Global Warming.

 

Oyedeji offered a solid foundation for participants, emphasizing the significance of understanding climate wisdom to develop effective results.

 

This was followed by a pre-test to gauge participants’ original knowledge of climate- related issues, which helped conform the posterior sessions.

 

Wakedai Davidson of the Bayelsa Ministry of Environment, who was adeptly represented by Mr Charles Iriakuma Ayebaesin (Scientific officer Department of Climate Change) gave an expansive discussion around climate change and how it affect original communities.

 

He buttress on vulnerability, methodology to insure environmental sustainability with original results.

 

He also stressed applicable workshop within the Niger Delta region and why everyone needs to be onboard.

 

Anayio Augustine Ngode spoke on community organising, using the smart advocacy model.

 

He covered the rudiments of advocacy what it entails, where it should be applied, and how to execute it effectively.

 

This session equipped Ambassadors with pivotal advocacy skills which will afford them opportunities to promote climate action in their communities.

 

During the workshop, Thematic Working Groups were also introduced as critical issues that affects their communities in the colorful clusters.

 

The Ambassadors were divided into six thematic working groups. Each group concentrated on a specific climate- related issue Just Transition/ 100 Renewable Energy, Deforestation/ Food Systems, Environmental Pollution/ IOC Divestment, Open Defecation, Plastic Pollution/ Marine Litters, Disaster threat/ Loss and Damage Backing

 

Within these groups, Ambassadors linked issues, root causes, openings, immediate results, long- term results, and styles to insure the sustainability of their proposed results.

 

They also bandied the part of Ambassadors in enforcing these results and planned to return to their communities to further identify, produce mindfulness and advocate for results to the issues raised.

 

The Bayelsa Climate ministers Programme successfully increased actors’ understanding of climate change, handed them with essential advocacy chops, and inspired them to take visionary way toward sustainability in their communities.

 

The workshop underscored the significance of indigenous results and original leadership in addressing global climate challenges, setting the stage for continued grassroots climate action in Bayelsa.