WINDHOEK (CU)_Located in the southwest region of the African continent, Namibia consists of 200 million acres of ocean shores, woodland savannahs and picturesque deserts, which is home to diverse wildlife from lions to cheetahs and black rhinos. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Namibia was the first country in the continent to incorporate protection of the environment into its constitution, and local communities were given the opportunity to manage their natural resources through the creation of communal conservancies.
However, over the recent years, the harsh effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and inconsistent rainfall, have placed increased pressure on natural resources, with certain areas suffering droughts and fires, while other regions experiencing more frequent floods of greater magnitude.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism is now seeking to tackle these challenges by using education as a tool to support environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in the country. Speaking during a two-day national stakeholder consultative workshop in the capital city of Windhoek, Teofilus Nghitila, the executive director of the Ministry noted that environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD) are considered critical in protecting natural resources and conserving the biodiversity of Namibia.
Accordingly, the Ministry has launched a functional environmental education awareness programme to ensure local communities are informed of the environmental issues prevalent in the country. “The main objective of this programme is to develop environmental skills and change the attitudes for our citizens towards sustainable production and consumption,” he added.
The government of Namibia launched the EE/ESD policy last year, and appointed a task force to spearhead the initiative. Its responsibilities include developing strategic partnerships and assisting in mobilising financial resources to support leading environmental and sustainable organisations in Namibia.
