Maputo — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza has called on all citizens to ensure the success of a National Environmental Education Campaign launched in a secondary school on the outskirts of Maputo on Thursday, under the slogan "For a Green, Beautiful and Prosperous Mozambique".

The campaign is intended to transmit basic knowledge and understanding of the environment, to develop the skills required to solve environmental problems, and to contribute to the development of environmentally sound social attitudes.

Guebuza told the launch ceremony that climate change could no longer be regarded as something vague and distant, of no concern to Mozambicans. He linked the extreme weather events that have affected the country, such as catastrophic floods and cyclones, to global warming.

"These disasters are a serious obstacle to the speedy implementation of our national anti-poverty agenda", he said. "Unfortunately some of the things that we Mozambicans do worsen extreme events".

As an example, he cited the uncontrolled bush fires that destroy the country's fauna and flora. These fires are set to clear land for planting, or by hunters and poachers to drive animals into the open. Last year dozens of people died when these blazes swept, out of control, across much of the central provinces of Manica and Sofala.

Guebuza stressed that his tree planting initiatives, whereby each village should have its own community forest, and each school student should plant at least one fruit tree a year, are not simply designed to produce more fruit, firewood and building materials. They were also intended to induce in citizens a fondness for nature and the natural environment.

He urged Mozambicans to use whatever opportunities came to hand to plant more trees. "There can be many and varied pretexts for planting trees - a birthday, a wedding, a graduation ceremony, a promotion, or visits from relatives or friends", Guebuza said.

As for those who make their living from the forest, such as timber merchants or charcoal burners, Guebuza urged them to replace all the trees that they use.

"Sustainable development necessarily involvese promoting environmental awareness among us all, in the countryside and the cities, through activities of environmental education", declared Guebuza.