Climate Change Education to Begin at Schools in Punjab

News Desk

KHANEWAL: Pakistan is ranked as the fifth country largely hit by climate change but it will be the first to introduce environment and climate change as a subject to school children in south Punjab in order to nurture a generation that is fully aware of the value of a healthy and clean environment.

Secretary School Education South Punjab Dr Ehtasham Anwar said that the first edition of the ‘Children’s Green Book’ has been published with the cooperation of United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board has given its approval for the publication of the book’s first edition. It tackles several topics in great detail with the help of beautiful graphics; and text in chapters titled climate change, the water story, lawn preparation, kitchen gardening, indoor plants, green schools, Miyawaki forests, and responsibility as a citizen.

The children’s green book story revolves around a boy and a girl struggling to create awareness among the people on climate change; a phenomenon that has started impacting the country with heatwave and torrential monsoon rains and floods.

Opinion of experts from Islamia University Bahawalpur and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Multan was taken into account in preparation of the book.

Dr. Ehtasham claimed that raising a generation that is well-aware of the risks of climate change and the value of a clean environment is the best strategy to combat the problem in the long run.

He asserted that Pakistan would lead the rest because no other country has begun teaching climate change as a distinct subject. According to Dr Anwar, UNESCO would help the School Education Department South Punjab with publication, book distribution in schools, and teaching.

He said that the online version of the book was available at ‘www.thechildrengreenbook.net’ which the citizens can visit for a review and give their feedback with some suggestions for further improvement.

Additional input from APP