The threat of climate change and global warming, which became ever more serious in the recent times, has necessitated everyone’s involvement in the issue of environmental protection. Indeed, ecological problems know no boundaries and no country is safe from the consequences of climate change. According to leading international experts, environmental awareness-raising is crucial in mitigating the adverse effects of and adaptation to climate change. Thus, it is particularly important that environmental training programs also cover the younger age groups.

In this regard,IDEA Public Union, which has regularly been conducting both professional and amateur-level projects for many years, and the Ecological Education and Practice Center under the Ministry of Education, have launched an ecological training program titled “Let’s Protect the Environment Together”. The aim of the program is to nurture caring attitudes towards nature among the younger generations, further increase ecological awareness and involve the youth in solving environmental problems.

The ecological training program covers “Eco-club” members at secondary schools of Baku. It should be noted that, from September of 2015, the Ecological Education and Practice Center under the Ministry of Education began the process of establishing eco-clubs at secondary schools. Currently, there are eco-clubs at 25 schools in Baku and the network of such eco-clubs is to be further expanded in the future.

In the framework of “Let’s Protect the Environment Together” training program jointly carried out by IDEA Public Union and the Ministry of Education, monthly training sessions for schoolchildren will be held on such topics as basics of ecology, the ecology of plants and animals, human ecology, urban ecology and future cities, climate change, alternative energy, waste management, biodiversity and its conservation, forest ecology, green tourism, etc.

The first training held within the program was organized at the Eco-club of School No.6 of the city of Baku. Consisting of theoretical and practical parts, the February session of the training was devoted to the subject of “Alternative Energy – the Energy of the Future”. More than 30 pupils participated in the training.

During the theoretical part of the training, schoolchildren learned about renewable and non-renewable energy sources, their impacts to the environment, significance of energy for human life, advantages of alternative sources of energy, protection of our planet’s energy resources, energy resources and saving energy in Azerbaijan, as well as activities of IDEA Public Union in this field. The practical part consisted of interactive exercises on alternative energy and energy management, as well as group activities, crosswords, quizzes and contests.

In the course of the interactive training session, the schoolchildren have enjoyed an opportunity to discuss environmental topics of their interest with experts.

IDEA Public Union and the Ecological Education and Practice Center under the Ministry of Education intend to organize similar trainings for children at other schools of the country. Information on trainings to be held within “Let’s Protect the Environment Together” program will be made available through mass media and IDEA Public Union’s online resources.