The objective is to train young people and children to become and act as “Climate Justice Ambassadors”
Children and youngsters from Mariana, Minas Gerais, participated in the first workshop of the Plant-for-the-Planet project, on May 26. The objective was to enable them to become and act as “Climate Justice Ambassadors”.
The workshops are a partnership between the Renova Foundation, the local government of Mariana and Plant for the Planet. At these meetings, youngsters discuss climate change, planting trees and develop social and environmental projects. In addition, they are trained to mobilize, articulate and seek collective solutions to improve the environment in which they live. The idea is that they should be able to make other youngsters aware of the importance of caring for the planet, including the benefits of planting trees to reduce CO2.
At 17, Pedro Chaves, is one of eight young defenders of the planet who received the certificate of “Climate Justice Ambassadors”. “It’s a really cool project that seeks the preservation of life. Our mission is to carry the message that we must preserve the environment in which we live for future generations by planting trees. The children will be the great predecessor of the project, we will show them the importance of taking care of the green in town”.
Plant-for-the-Planet Project brings together children and youngsters for environmental preservation. | Photo: Release
PLANT FOR THE PLANET
The Plant-for-the-Planet project started in 2007 in Germany and came to Brazil in 2017. Mariana is the first town in Minas Gerais to welcome it and the idea is to take it to other towns, in order to reach the ambitious goal of planting 1 million native tree seedlings along the route impacted by the collapse of the Fundão dam.
The initiative began with Felix Finkbeiner, 9 years old, inspired by Wangari Maathai, who planted 30 million trees in Africa in 30 years. Based on this example, Felix came up with the idea that children could plant one million trees in all countries. Since then, there are over 63,000 Climate Justice Ambassadors, between the ages of 9 and 12, who share their knowledge about preserving the environment.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
In celebration of the World Environment Day (June 5), the Renova Foundation participated in an event sponsored by the town hall of Mariana, on the Gomes Freire square. A space was set up by the Environmental Education team, where people could have their questions answered and enroll children and youngsters interested in being part of the Plant-for-the-Planet project. The eight children and youngsters, who were trained on May 26, assisted in the mo