Macedonia Joins Global Campaign Against Climate Changes

20 September 2007

The FRONT 21/42 civic association, in cooperation with the British Embassy in Macedonia, presented the �Our Climate Changes � We Have to Change, Too!� project. According to Iskra Stojkovska, project coordinator, it aims to motivate and inspire active participation of the citizens in the fight against climate changes and raising of public awareness.

Ambassador Andrew Key emphasized the fact the Macedonia plays a huge role in the fight against climate changes. However, he noted that public opinion surveys conducted with Macedonian high-school students show that one in four believes that �God�s will� is behind the climate changes.

- It means that a lot has to be done here. On the other hand, the question is not whether the climate will change, but can we stop the catastrophic changes, emphasized Key.

In his view, every citizen should join the fight against climate changes, by changing personal habits, saving electricity and reduced use of motor vehicles.

His wife, Joanna Key, an expert in climate change, believes that there is no more important global issue at this moment. In her view, the changes can bring about catastrophic events, such as huge storms, termination of whole eco-systems and floods.

- It is not too late. There are things that every one of us can do � turn off the lights at home, for instance. Such small measures can reduce emissions by one quarter of their current volumes � she says.

The basis of the project is education of the population, especially high school students. According to Stojanovska, the project activities will include a series of public debates, exhibitions and direct actions such as planting 28,000 trees as a part of UN campaign �Billion Threes all over the Planet�.