The fight against the harsh effects of climate change cannot and should not be shouldered by the government alone, which is why students from the National University in Laguna, in cooperation with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), have launched a program to support the country’s goal of achieving net zero by 2030.
The partnership aims to engage students in various activities and educational programs that promote sustainability and environmental responsibility, leveraging the enthusiasm and innovative potential of students to drive significant positive impact.
The Philippine government, through its submitted resolution to the United Nations Nationally Determined Contributions for Climate Change in 2021, commits to a projected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and avoidance of 75 percent for the period 2020 to 2030 in the sectors of agriculture, waste, industry, transport, and energy.
Charles Adrian A. De Jesus, an AB Communication Arts student, highlighted the influence students can wield in the fight against rising carbon emissions and emphasized the pivotal role of the youth in raising awareness and driving change through effective communication strategies.
“I believe that as communication students, we have the ability to further expand knowledge through our voices. We can influence and educate people using various forms of communication, such as social media. By making simple posts and sharing educational content on social media, we can help others learn,” he said.
He then expressed his gratitude for learning new ideas and the importance of being environment-friendly even in small ways. He emphasized that this initiative not only educates but also empowers students to become proactive participants in the country’s fight against climate change.
“As for me, since we are the ones who live here on our planet, it is important for us to be educated by something like this event because in the near future it will have a big impact, especially for us in our generation, so it is very important to protect and save this planet,” he stated.
ECCP campaign manager Dawn Marie Cabigon emphasized the importance of collaborating with academic institutions worldwide to make actions against climate change relatable and actionable for students.
She highlighted that these partnerships are crucial to inflicting behavioral change on an individual level.
Cabigon added: “We want to change your individual world for you to think that even before you buy something, even before you throw away a single-use plastic, or allow fast foods to give you this single-use plastic thing, you have to trace how it was made. The factories made it, right. They churn it out by the millions every year, every day. So if you don’t use it, do you think they will still go on manufacturing it? Little steps, tiny baby steps.”
For NU Laguna academe director Josefina San Miguel, small actions in reducing carbon emissions, when combined, foster environmental benefits.
The director highlighted the need to urgently integrate sustainable practices into daily routines and educational programs to meet the target of reduced emissions by 2030.
“I always warn our faculty that the ‘D-day’ is the year 2030, and that is how many years from now. Something will happen in 2030 because even if you look at that, 2030 is a big day even for education, and the teachers know this. I’ve explained it to them, why 2030 is important. It’s sink or swim. It’s survival. What have we done to help the planet survive for the year 2030? There is no planet B. This is our planet,” San Miguel said. (AM/JD; PIA-4A)
