The Federal Government has launched a youth driven tree-planting project tagged ‘Project 250k’ to fight the impacts of climate change in the country.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare disclosed this on Thursday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on the sidelines of the ongoing 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
Dare at the sideline event tagged “Youth and Climate Change” said the project will involve engaging 250,000 youths to plant 250,000 trees across the country in the first phase of the project.
He told journalists after the event that the ministry was doing a lot to empower and get the vibrant Nigerian youths involved in the fight and awareness campaign about climate change.
” The project 250K is the Ministry of Youth Sports Development attempt to make sure that we bring onboard the youth of our country in the climate change action plan.
“This means we will be engaging 250, 000 youths across the country to plant 250,000 trees, then we can plant 50, 000.
“The goal is to make sure that we are not just planting the trees but the awareness is generated, they plant the trees and also become ambassadors for climate change,” Dare said.
He said that the ministry is working closely with the ministry of environment and other strategic implementation partners in a Public Private Partnership to ensure the project is privately funded.
The minister explained that the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) is also on board to advice on the best trees to be planted in different parts of the country.
He assured that details of the project will be made public as soon as the strategic engagements are completed.
The event tagged Nigerian ‘Youth and Climate Change: Harmonization of Nigerian Youth Climate Change efforts and Policy Development’ had officials from the Ministry of Environment, relevant agencies and youth groups.
The side event also provided platform for the ministry to build synergy with the various youth groups who have been working in silos, as the ministry seeks a comprehensive youth policy on climate change.
The COP 27 which began on Nov. 6 with world leaders and representatives from 198 countries and more than 30, 000 delegates will end on Nov. 18.