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Cameroon raise awareness on climate change

Report - GLOBE students of Government Bilingual Practising High School (GBPHS) and Lycée General Leclerc (LGL) Yaoundé

Date: 10 February 2009

Some 20 students of GBPHS and LGL, gathered at the GLOBE Program Regional Training Centre, Yaoundé on 10th February, 2009 to reflect on the theme: "The contribution of the Cameroonian Youth to Climate Change Campaign". This open day was occasioned by the up coming National Youth Day, celebrated every 11th of February in Cameroon. The students felt that this was an occasion for youths to call attention to the present problems of climate change that is being experienced worldwide.

This open day, was also attended by the Cameroon GLOBE Country Coordinator, Margaret Besong, the Representatives of the GLOBE Cameroon and Africa Alumni, GLOBE Program master trainers and teachers in and around Yaoundé and some parents of the students.

Tayim Mercy, GLOBE Teacher of GBPHS Yaoundé presented a talk on: "Local indicators of climate change in Cameroon". This talk set the tone for a reflection and discussion session that followed, during which the GLOBE students and other participants discussed in greater detail:

• the environmental factors that could easily be measured as indicator of climate change in Cameroon; and
• the activities of man on his environment and how man contributes in destroying the environment.

This was also an occasion for Tamsu representing the GLOBE Alumni in Cameroon and Africa, to give a rundown of the Alumni activities worldwide and to enlighten participants on the work and future plans of the Alumni in Africa. GLOBE Alumni, Gandeko Marlene and Adel Um Bilong talked about their experiences in GLOBE, and how these have helped them in their university studies. As a result they encouraged all the young GLOBE students to take GLOBE activities seriously.

In another event the students embarked on finding out the interaction between organisms and their environment (ecological niches) and how carbon circulates in nature. This activity was aimed at showing to the students in a more practical way the interaction between some local organisms such as grasshoppers, snails, birds, caterpillars and trees in their natural habitat and how these organisms impact their immediate surrounding.

The high point of this activity was the "Catching the Carbon" activity which enabled them to trace the path of a carbon atom from one organism to another in different forms. This helped the students to revise their theory lesson on the cycling of matter in nature.

During the open day the students adopted the following commitment "Climate Change - a war we must win" and vowed to start the war immediately by educating their relatives and neighbours on the need to:

• reduce energy and water use in the homes, and
• adopt proper disposal of household refuse.

Photo Gallery

GLOBE students reflect on measurable local climate change indicators in Cameroon

Cross section of GLOBE students in "Catching the Carbon" Activity