By Abbas Nazil
Climate education efforts must move beyond classroom lessons and focus on social influence, peer networks, and community acceptance to encourage young people to take meaningful environmental action, a Climate Champion, Melitus Onyechonam Okogu, has said.
Okogu made the observation following his experience as a Climate Champion during the Growing Green Generation Project, a four-week climate education programme organised by the Special Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development in partnership with the office of the First Lady and the Enugu State ministries of Environment and Education.
As part of the programme, Okogu was assigned to Goshen Star College, Enugu, where he engaged students through practical climate change awareness activities designed to promote environmental responsibility.
He explained that the programme went beyond conventional classroom teaching by introducing students to hands-on activities, including waste recycling, tree planting, and the establishment of a climate action club within the school.
Through collaboration with Dosky Arts Quest, students learnt that non-biodegradable waste could be transformed into useful products and artworks, reducing environmental pollution caused by improper waste disposal.
The students also participated in tree-planting activities, where they planted economic and ornamental trees around the school environment.
With support from the school management, a Climate Action Club was created to provide a platform where students could continue learning, discussing environmental issues, and promoting sustainable practices among their peers and communities.
However, Okogu noted that despite the initial enthusiasm from students, participation in climate activities began declining after the second week of the programme.
He identified peer pressure and social perceptions as major factors influencing students’ willingness to participate in environmental initiatives.
According to him, many climate education programmes focus heavily on curriculum, teaching materials, and information sharing, while paying less attention to the social environment that determines whether young people act on the knowledge they acquire.
He explained that students may understand the importance of climate action but avoid practices such as using reusable materials, joining environmental clubs, or promoting sustainability because they fear being mocked by their peers.
Okogu warned that negative social attitudes could turn climate knowledge into mere awareness without practical action, as young people interested in environmental protection are sometimes labelled with negative descriptions by their peers.
He, however, stressed that social influence could also become a powerful tool for promoting climate action if properly harnessed.
He called for climate clubs in schools to be repositioned as prestigious and attractive communities where environmental leadership is celebrated rather than viewed as unusual.
He suggested that influential students, including school leaders, athletes, artists, and prefects, should be encouraged to champion climate initiatives to make participation more appealing to others.
Okogu added that climate activities should be designed to be creative, engaging, and collaborative, while schools should recognise environmental leadership alongside achievements in sports, academics, music, and other fields.
He emphasised that building a culture where climate responsibility is respected among young people would help create lifelong environmental stewards.
According to him, shaping the communities young people belong to is as important as providing them with climate knowledge, because environmental action can spread when positive behaviours become socially accepted.
