Experts urge holistic biodiversity conservation, green skills as youths tackle climate change
By Chinedum Treasure
Wildlife and renewable energy experts have called on Nigerians to rethink biodiversity conservation and youth empowerment as inseparable pillars of climate action, urging a balance between protecting nature and equipping young people with practical green skills.
They made the call during the 2026 Climate Bootcamp organised by the Green Environment and Climate Change Initiative (GRENCHI), where students from secondary school environmental clubs participated in hands-on training at the UNIZIK Zoological Garden.
Speaking during a guided biodiversity session, the Deputy Director of the UNIZIK Zoological Garden, Mohammed Adeyemi, stressed that biodiversity must be understood as an interconnected system of plants and animals rather than in isolation.
“When we talk about biodiversity, people often think it is too narrow, but it must be viewed holistically. Some people believe biodiversity is only about plants. Plants are very important, but they are not the only thing we have to look at.”
According to the wildlife biologist, biodiversity is rooted in the complex relationships that sustain life. “There is a strong relationship between plants and animals. Without plants, there will be no animals. Without leaves, there will be no animals,” he explained.
Adeyemi noted that recognising this interdependence naturally leads to conservation, which he described as a responsibility owed to future generations.
“The main reason we talk about conservation is posterity. But sustainability must come before posterity. Anything you cannot maintain, you cannot sustain,” he said urging the protection of both plant and animal resources.
He explained that conservation can occur within natural habitats—known as in-situ conservation—or outside them through ex-situ methods such as zoos and rehabilitation centres.
With animal populations declining in the wild, he said captive breeding can help preserve species and their genetic diversity, provided reintroduction into natural environments is carefully managed.
Adeyemi also emphasised the need to teach young Nigerians how to assess the conservation status of species, ranging from least concern to critically endangered and extinct in the wild.
He urged students to consult global benchmarks such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
“In this training, we want children to understand that animals have rights. We must protect them and, most importantly, conserve them. Careless deforestation and habitat destruction could drive today’s species into extinction within a single generation.
The three-day Climate Bootcamp combined biodiversity education with practical climate solutions, including solar energy installation, air and water quality measurement, biodiversity monitoring, mapping, basic data analysis and water conservation in agriculture.
Participants were trained as citizen scientists and equipped with green skills aimed at preparing them for emerging climate-related jobs.
On the renewable energy component, facilitator Precious Eze encouraged participants to see solar energy skills as both a climate solution and a pathway out of unemployment.
“Job scarcity is ravaging youths and even adults in this country. Catching people young through this kind of training is of great interest to the community, states and the nation,” Eze said.
He explained that solar installation skills could allow youths to start small businesses from home while contributing to climate change mitigation. “We want power without smoke and hydrocarbon discharge.
“Solar energy allows us to convert what God has given us—the sun—into clean electrical energy. If possible, I want the whole country to quit generators completely,” he added.
The E-STEM training attracted students aged between 11 and 20 and was funded by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and Pratt & Whitney.
It was implemented in collaboration with partners including Green Age Technologies, UNIZIK’s Departments of Crop Science and Horticulture, Forestry and Wildlife, the Sahelian Institute of Bamboo Research and Entrepreneurship Development (SIBRED), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Participants, particularly those visiting the zoological garden for the first time, expressed excitement over the exposure, describing the programme as a transformative learning experience that deepened their understanding of nature, climate change and future career possibilities.
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