Learners have been urged to join hands in the fight against climate change in the Karamoja region where its adverse effects are more pronounced.

According to the Moroto district Education Officer Paul Oputa learners should make an effort to understand climate change so that they can guide the communities from which they come to effectively combat it.

Oputa said this while opening the Green Schools Regional Climate Change Debate for the Karamoja region at Moroto High School on Monday.

Alluding to negative practices, such as indiscriminate cutting down trees for charcoal burning, uncontrolled stone quarrying, and bush burning among others, he said these are accelerating the effects of climate change in the region.

Oputa added that failure to use the environment sustainably is responsible for the frequent changes in weather hence lack of food, rising food prices, diseases and untold suffering in the communities.

Further Oputa attributed the failed rains to the environment that has been largely degraded by the locals in efforts to survive the hunger pangs.

He encouraged the schools in Karamoja to embrace the green schools project asking teachers to sensitize the students holistically on the negativity of climate change.

He implored students to be ambassadors of climate change in their respective homes and villages among others saying there is need to wake up and fight climate change.

The Green Schools project is a partnership between the Swedish Embassy, Food and Agriculture Organization and Vision group aimed at rolling back the adverse effects of climate change.

The 15–month project is being implemented in 100 secondary schools across the country.