President Iohannis: Education, one of pillars of improving climate change response

President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Tuesday, that education is one of the "pillars of improving response" to climate change, Agerpres reports.

"Education, environment protection and combating climate change are priority topics for my mandate as President. They are essential domains, on which political stakeholders are still leaning on too little and that's exactly why I organized at the level of the Presidential Administration working groups, reflection groups, to produce a series of concrete proposals. Such a demarche was the one finalized through the elaboration of the 'Educated Romania' project, which, through the record sums obtained through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, is finally gaining financial allotments in order to be put into practice. Continuing the 'Educated Romania' project, I have decided, throughout 2021, at the level of the Presidential Administration, to establish a working group on the topic of education regarding climate change and the environment," said the head of state, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, at the launching in public debate of the report "Education regarding climate change and the environment in sustainable schools," drawn up by the Working group on climate change and environmental education established, in 2021, at the level of the Presidential Administration.

He showed that the report launched in debate signals a series of problems, but also presents solutions, both to widen access to education regarding environment protection and to combat the effects of climate change, as well as for the underpinning of a green school infrastructure.

The head of state stated his conviction that, at the level of society, there are also other actors which may contribute to the implementation in the best form of the proposals.

He showed that in the education regarding climate change and the environment at the pre-university level it is essential to place emphasis on the pupil.

"The schools in which our pupils learn must themselves become examples of good practices in matters of sustainability, in order to inspire pupils to adopt an adequate behavior to protect the environment. The benefits of a green educational infrastructure are indisputable, scientifically proven, from the creation of a much more adequate environment for the development of children, to the increase of educational quality and school performance," said President Iohannis.

President Iohannis expressed his absolute confidence that the Government will approach with full openness and responsibility the accomplishment of this priority national objective, in close partnership with the association environment, the private environment, but also with representatives of youths.

"I desire in the next stage to amplify at the international level cooperation in matters of education regarding these topics. I am convinced that Romania will find many partners, because no state is immune to the effects of environment degradation and climate change, and education is an important instrument in counteracting them," Iohannis also said.