APRIL 2021 | ISSUE 4
@CLIMATEOPERATION
Question: What are the “Climate Operation’s” objectives? Answer: Climate Operation is a youth led organisation based in Uganda that aims at educating school going children about climate change and involving them in climate related activism in the form of tree planting activities. Since the organisation is led by young people we acknowledge the fact that social media is a powerful tool to our generation and through Climate Operation's storytelling series, we use social media to amplify other young voices in the environmental space.
Question: How do you think we can achieve climate justice around the world? Answer: First we have to acknowledge that the impacts of climate change affect different societies and groups of people differently. It's from this acknowledgement that we can start to find solutions to these problems. Right now the mainstream environmental movements bring out environmentalism as a predominantly white and privileged space forgetting that people of color, indigenous people and those that are less privileged are at the brunt of this crisis. Therefore if these people (BIPOC) are given the opportunity to advocate for climate solutions to the climate change impacts that are directly affecting them and the people that make the big decisions actually listen and do something to solve these problems, I believe that this will be a good start to achieving climate justice around the world.
Question: What do you think the most important sustainable habit is?
Question: How important do you think it is for climate education sessions to be compulsory in schools?
Answer: To me, I believe that when it comes to sustainability an individual should be both spiritually and mentally in touch with the mindset of taking care of not only themselves but of the environment around them. It is only then that they can start to adopt habits that will sustain them as human beings as well as the environment.
Answer: Currently in Uganda climate education is not part of the curriculum and I believe this is the same for many countries. This is largely due to the fact that the climate crisis is only just now at the forefront of policy conversations and therefore certain countries deem it fit to educate children about their environment and how they can contribute to keeping it safe. I think it's very important for climate education sessions to be implemented in schools because the reality of the fact is that the effects of climate change are going to be heavily felt by the younger generations and thus if equipped with the knowledge and practical skills on how to solve this, then their future will be saved.
Often people view sustainability as these strict principles that one needs to stick to and if they don't, then they're not perfectly leading a sustainable life. I completely disagree with this as it does not take into account the intersection between the concept of sustainability and the way this might look to different classes of people.
12| THE CLIMATE ISSUE
CLIMATE OPERATION