Advisor, Hamza Lawal, Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network (NYCAN) , an NGO, says the effective combat of climate change and improved environmental sustainability rest on the shoulders of the youths.

Lawal, who is also a member, Steering Committee Sustain NIGERIA, spoke at the children’s’ day celebration and the introduction of the Abuja Rio +20 on Sunday, at the Millennium Park, Abuja.

He said that this was so because children and the youths constituted more than 60 per cent of the total population of Nigeria and represented the generation mostly affected by climate change.

“Though climate change affects everyone, we bear the greatest brunt of its impact because it is in our time and in our children’s’ future that the full consequences would be felt,’’ he said

Lawal called on the youths to focus on the threats of climate change to agriculture, food security, human health, rural development and land productivity.

He called on the Federal Government to support their participation at United Nations conventions and other global events for proper youth representation and exposure to global decision making.

The advisor also urged the government and other partners to expand the economic substructure of the country beyond the oil and gas, to more sustainable business practices such as agriculture, tourism, and information technology.

He also called on the government to promote agricultural policies that were eco-friendly and sustainable and ensure that such policies conformed to international practices in environmental impact auditing.

Lawal said that the group had resolved to work with the government to improve the quality of education in the country through volunteerism, mentoring, and the use of ICT in the schools and community based education.

He urged the government to encourage the youths to volunteer for early warning and emergency responses to prevent disaster.