Role of youth in environment protection
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. A significant portion of this large population is the youth. The Bangladesh National Youth Policy 2017 defines youth in Bangladesh as citizens aged 18-35. About a third of Bangladesh’s population is youth. Their number is approximately five and a half million.
Demographic dividend happens when there are more young people in the working population than older people. Achieving the benefits of the demographic dividend is inextricably linked to the development and empowerment of young men and women.
To protect the environment and biodiversity, combat climate change, and achieve long-term sustainable development, it is crucial to unite and educate the large population in favor of eco-friendly practices.
Uniting the energy of youth society and raising their awareness about sustainable development can accelerate the country’s overall development. This includes identifying and solving major environmental issues.
Youth is the spring of life. It is an age of discovery and dreaming big. Progressive young people dream not just for themselves, but for a better future for their country and all of humanity.
Young people are the future leaders of all countries for obvious reasons. When their energy, intelligence, talent, and potential are fully developed and used, they can contribute to the development and progress of their country and the world.
National development ‘concept’ is not achievable without active participation of youth. In fact, national development can be conceptualized as a long relay race. The older generation will pass the baton to the waiting younger team. Young people have organizational dreams, passions and hopes.
Youth are not only tomorrow’s leaders but also today’s partners. Young men and women are social actors of change and progress. They are an important part of the development of the nation.
Bangladesh is now known as a development role model all over the world. The International Monetary Fund states that Bangladesh has the 43rd largest economy in the world based on GDP and the 32nd based on purchasing power parity. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC) projections, Bangladesh will become the 28th largest economy by 2030 and the 23rd largest economy by 2050.
In March 2018, the United Nations Committee for Development Policy confirmed Bangladesh’s status as the least developed country.
In order to maintain this achievement, extensive development should be done in various sectors. And these developments should be sustainable and permanent. For this purpose, environmental management and climate change must be given utmost importance.
The environment is everything created by the combination of light, air, water, soil, forests, mountains, rivers, oceans, human-made infrastructure and the entire flora and fauna in the atmosphere extending from the earth’s surface to the ozone layer. Human is a part of the environment and the environment is for humans along with the living world.
The environment influences the natural birth, status, growth, death of living organisms. All the elements of the environment work as complements and complements to each other and thus the balance of the environment is maintained. The environment is gradually going towards disaster. Air, water, soil are being polluted without limit.
If the environment is polluted and the balance of the environment is disturbed, it directly and indirectly has harmful effects on human body and mind. People get sick and people suffer from progressive health problems and even death.
For example, drinking contaminated water causes many serious diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, dysentery. A polluted environment squanders human potential and has a negative impact on the economy. A pollution-free environment is essential for human health and well-being.
Earth provides all our basic needs, including food, and takes care of us. But do we not care about it? No, we are not. Instead, we are polluting air, water and soil, we are degrading ecosystems and consuming natural resources.
We are making thousands of species extinct or endangered. We are treating the earth like we own it. Today the world is facing disaster. We must be proactive in protecting the Earth from our unsustainable actions.
Global environmental pollution and environmental destruction activities are increasing day by day. According to experts, if this trend continues, the world will soon become uninhabitable. So environmental conservation has become the reality of today’s world.
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, although we are not entirely responsible for this threat. Nevertheless, with limited resources, the country continues to self-finance mitigation and adaptation programs to address the impacts of climate change.
