Overcoming Climate Change Needs Collective Responsibility

SINGAPORE, June 5 (Bernama) -- Collective responsibility is needed to overcome climate change and create sustainable systems to save the earth, Singapore's Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday. He said climate change and the environment would be one of the biggest long-term challenges of the future. "If we do nothing, and global warming continues to take place, eco-systems and human societies could experience major disruptions over the next 50 years, and quite possibly sooner," he said in his address at the opening of the Girl Guides Singapore International Camp 2012 at Sarimbun Scout Camp, here. "So, one of the central challenges of our time – and of your time – is to see how we, as individuals and as nations, can adopt collective responsibility to look after the earth, and to create new sustainable systems in which we can all co-exist, live and thrive together. "Governments around the world are grappling with this challenge. There are no easy solutions or silver bullets," he said. The event, hosted by Girl Guides Singapore, brings together international campers from Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Wong said he is certain that their presence will enhance the richness and depth of interaction in this International Camp that is held once in every five years. In line with the Millennium Development Goal of “Saving the Earth”, the camp has adopted the theme “Girls Worldwide Say We Can Save Our Planet”. Wong noted that caring for the environment is an important and meaningful cause that all of them can champion and be a part of and urged them to summon that same spirit of optimism, innovation and imagination that led previous generations to meet the challenges of their time. "So I urge all of you to use this camp to make that commitment to our planet, both individually and collectively. Use this as a staging point to extend the message to the 10 million girl guides across 145 countries around the world in your association, as well as other people in your schools and local communities," he added. -- BERNAMA