MICO University College is issuing a call for more students to be trained for careers geared towards the care and protection of the environment.

According to president of The Mico Dr Asburn Pinnock, a good citizen of Jamaica, a good citizen of the world, is one who is environmentally conscious and deliberate about not destroying our shared home – the environment. Dr Pinnock added that while it is important to ensure that appropriate policies are in place and that regulations are effective and enforced, it is even more critical for every citizen to see himself or herself as a steward of the environment.

He was speaking on World Environment Day, June 5, and noted that people often fail to see the correlation between their singular actions and the bigger picture.

“So in the absence of proper waste disposal systems, little Johnny and the other members of his community on the banks of the gully each throw one plastic bottle per day into the gully and are horrified when their houses are flooded during and after rainfall — and big businesses are often guilty of polluting our waterways,” he said.

“Climate change and its effects are real. The earth is getting hotter, weather patterns have become more extreme, droughts have become more intense, and storms have become bigger. With increased ocean temperatures the prediction is for an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season in 2024.”

In order for us to make a difference, Dr Pinnock said it is imperative we raise environmental and climate change consciousness and embrace protective and mitigative actions as a matter of urgency, while equipping more teachers to deliver content about the care of the environment. Education, he added, must be used as a tool and strategy to mitigate or solve real world problems.

Dr Pinnock noted that environmental issues are long-term and sometimes unattractive to those who seek instant gratification or are focused on the bread-and-butter issues.

“Many of us are already set in our behaviours and attitudes and so the mandate must be to educate the decision-makers, policymakers, and movers and shakers of tomorrow — in other words … our children,” he said.

He said issues regarding climate change and the protection of the environment are already integrated in programmes in The Mico, which offers a bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies through the Faculty of Science and Technology. In addition, the proposed Mico STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) centre will prepare teachers to deliver an environmental education-infused curriculum to students at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Several scholarships are available through the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for students wishing to pursue this programme at The Mico.

Meanwhile, head of the Department of Natural Sciences Denese Walker-McCarthy said children must see themselves as custodians of the environment in which they live and know that without it, they cannot live. She added that one of the long-term goals is to work with local and global organisations to conduct research to guide policymakers so as to ensure that environmental education is entrenched in the curriculum in Jamaican schools.