Climate Change Awareness Begins with Me

“Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me” TGTAI CONCEPT PAPER

Goal: To encourage youth to engage in interactive learning on Global Warming & Climate Change which may be translated into education outreach in their specific communities and/or organizations.

Objectives:

1. To encourage youth from youth organizations, schools and communities to learn/learn more about global warming and Climate Change concepts (Think Green) and engage in simple Green Solutions at the individual/community level. 2. To assist young people in understanding the Commonwealth initiative as it pertains to Education for Sustainable Development. 3. To provide opportunities for experiential learning on the environment through nature appreciation, work group activities and other interactive knowledge elements. 4. To assist youth in developing their critical thinking skills.

Problem Statement

The long-term alteration in global weather patterns, especially increases in temperature and storm activity, and the potential of sea-level rise, will have a detrimental impact on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Like all countries of the world, Trinidad and Tobago will need to play its part in decreasing its carbon emissions and encouraging its population to: “Think Green, Then Act to Impact (TGTAI).” Additionally, there is an urgent need to address the gap between information-on-the- street and knowledge leading to action at the micro-levels in communities. In a preliminary baseline survey conducted by TGTAI’s volunteers, on conceptual knowledge of Global Warming & Climate Change, 77% of the persons surveyed either did not know what was global warming this included mistaking the circumstance of ozone layer depletion for global warming. Among this group, the youth also had difficulty expressing these concepts. Presently there is no collective ESD initiative which provides opportunities for youth to learn through a learning environment that is more natural, to learn basic concepts associated with global warming and climate change, while enabling them with opportunities to engage at individual level, simple energy-saving and conservation activities within their home/school units. Additionally very little exposure has been provided for youth to engage in understanding the role of the Commonwealth in supporting ESD initiatives among local youth.

Project Description

“Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me” is a One-Day highly interactive ESD Collaboration which seeks to jointly engage youth in exposure to (and in some instances), concretizing their Global Warming/Climate Change knowledge. Youth will be engaged in four (3) ESD learning areas/modules:

□ Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation □ Global Warming & Climate Change □ Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives □ Green Solutions 1. Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation

Participants will learn about overall environmental awareness by encouraging learning in a natural setting with opportunities provided to interact and learn from nature, a trail experience and interaction with wildlife elements. This preliminary intervention will hopefully help the young people to gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of existing ecosystems and to see themselves also playing a responsible role in their conservation/protection.

2. Global Warming & Climate Change

Participants will learn basic global warming and climate change concepts and will be able to demonstrate linkages between anthropogenic (man-made) activities and their emerging/existing impact on human well-being and the natural environment.

3. Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives

Participants will learn the structure of the Commonwealth, to determine its benefits and to understand the existing/emerging role of the Commonwealth for ESD Initiatives.

4. Green Solutions

Participants will develop and be exposed to simple Green Solutions that they can individually carry out in their homes while transmitting knowledge in various ways for others in the home/school/community to do same.

Project Methodology:

The Lead Youth Agencies who will engage in Pre-implementation work/activities: □ Commonwealth RYC Trinidad and Tobago. □ Junior Environmentalists of Trinidad and Tobago (JETT) and its TGTAI Volunteers.

Key Project Elements:

□ Use of Interactive Think Green Workshops in a Natural Setting. □ Use of Visual Stimulation through Trail/Nature Experiences To Encourage Nature Appreciation. □ Provision of Problem-Solving Opportunities for Participants to Engage in Critical-thinking and Real-life Application. □ Encouraging by Facilitators of Youth Capacity to Create and Adopt a Green Charter.

These elements will be achieved by the following strategic partnerships:

Asa Wright Nature Centre: Nature/Eco-system Appreciation

Youth Facilitators:

□ Junior Environmentalists of Trinidad and Tobago (Environmental Advocacy and Green Solutions) □ Commonwealth Youth Programme (Commonwealth RYC, ESD Initiative)

Environmental State Agencies:

□ Environmental Management Authority (PowerPoint Presentation on Global Warming & Climate Change: Concepts and Social Impacts) □ Forestry Division (Environmental/Wildlife Conservation Issues Related to Climate Change and Human Impacts) □ Institute of Marine Affairs (Marine Ecosystem Challenges Related to Climate Change) □ WITT (Water Challenges Related to Climate Change)

Recommended Venue which meets all project requirements:

□ Asa Wright Nature Centre (East Trinidad)

Alternate Locations:

□ Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, □ La Vega Estate (Central Trinidad) □ Emperor Valley Zoo/Botanical Gardens

Target Group: 30 youth (aged 14-24), from the East-West Corridor (20 students;10 youth from youth organizations);

Project Timeline:
Project Start date: March 18th (pre-implementation activities) and End Date: April 10th 2008 (One-Day Interactive ESD Learning Experience).

Expected Outcomes:

1. 30 Youth from the East-West Corridor exposed to Global Warming & Climate Change Concepts and Related Issues. 2. 30 Youth exposed to information on the Commonwealth and its role in emerging/existing ESD initiatives for their benefit. 3. 30 Youth exposed to critical thinking skills, through experiential learning and interactivity with and among a healthy, thriving ecosystem. 4. 3000 Youth Exposed to Green Solutions. 5. Creation of a Youth-oriented Green Declaration for further ratification among youth.

Project Sustainability:

Each Participant will also receive 100 Green Solutions which they will be encouraged to disseminate among their peers, families and communities. Participants will also have the opportunity to create and adopt a Green Declaration, which symbolizes their commitment to educate and act on in their own spheres of influence, their peers, families and communities on Global Warming & Climate Change towards a low carbon emission. This will include acquiring a goal of 5,000 signatures for the Green Declaration, an indication of the young individual’s willingness to support through daily commitments, Environmental Education and environmentally-friendly activities as laid out in the Green Declaration.

Evaluation & Monitoring

1. Feedback from Participants (an evaluation questionnaire). 2. Evaluation Meetings by Project Team.

Bibliography: JETT TRAINING MANUAL, 2004. TGTAI BASELINE SURVEY, 2008

Bibliography: JETT TRAINING MANUAL, 2004. TGTAI BASELINE SURVEY, 2008