Youths trained on climate issues

A two-day national conference to train the future leaders of climate and health related issues concluded in the capital yesterday.
The programme titled 'First national conference of Youth Think Tank on climate change and health' began at the auditorium of Department of Forest in the capital yesterday.
While addressing as chief guest the inaugural session of the conference on Thursday, Environment and Forest Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the government cannot tackle the issue of climate change alone, therefore, a community-based mass awareness and capacity building programme is needed.
The Youth Think Tank, consisting of a group of hundred university students from across the country, was trained to take the lead in solving climate and health related problems of their communities using their creativity, merit, expertise and local resources,” said the conference Convener Dr Iqbal Kabir.
The youths took part in technical sessions, made action plans and shared ideas with respect to the gradually raging health threats in different parts of the country due to climate change.
Md Didarul Ahsan, additional secretary and coordinator of Climate Change Unit of environment and forest ministry , Shamsul Gafur Mahmud, national professional officer of World Health Organisation, and Dr Md Zahirul Islam, training physician of ICDDR,B, also addressed the programme.