Environment protectionMedia role [Archives:2004/761/Health]

Yasser Mohammed Al-Mayyasi
The Environmental Media Organization is one of the basic pillars of specialized media, since appearing along with the growth of environmental problems in the world. The environmental media has undertaken the responsibility of carrying out an awareness operation related to environmental issues.
Environmental problems result from the deterioration and destruction caused by human beings bad attitudes towards the environment and its natural resources, which leads to causing damage to its basic components and disturbing the environmental balance.
Since environmental studies ascertain the interest in environmental issues and the protection of natural resources which started about three decades ago with the first environmental conference in Stockholm in 1972. Environmental protection was crystallized on the agenda of the 21st Century, by the Summit on the Earth, held in De Janero in 1992, where it ascertained the significance of public contributions to achieve sustainable development.
The summit increased the awareness of society's individuals towards environmental issues and their contribution to protecting and preserving natural resources. A seminar on expertise exchange and specific environmental awareness media programs was organized by the Yemen National Tribunal for Education, Culture and Sciences in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Education, Culture and Science. The seminar focused on these discussions, and on papers submitted by several contributing Arab countries on environmental media and the methods of activating its role, in addition to coming up with scientific programs to raise the profile of environmental media in the Islamic world and to serve sustainable development and the environment.
The seminar confirmed the significance of the environmental media at local, regional and international levels and its role in creating community awareness of the risks of environmental deterioration, the threat to natural resources and their impact on the lives of human beings on this planet now and in the future.
From the scientific papers and several studies, a scientific paper was presented on the most significant means to spread environmental awareness which also determined the most significant social groups that ought to be addressed by awareness messages in environmental media.
Another represented paper ascertained the importance of different media means – readable, visual and audible and their effect and role in building awareness of environmental issues and drawing the attention to the risks which threaten it such as the spoiling of soil, air and water.
Further to that, the media draws attention to advanced countries and to how to utilise modern technology to treating environmental problems, in addition to pointing out the benefits which natives can attain by improving their environments and protecting them from damage.
The media should describe truth so as to become effective, impressive and capable of facilitating the required changes and help growing new customs and conducts better for the environment. The studies assured the growth of environmental education aiming to build understanding from childhood via including it in school syllabi for the various subjects in all the educational stages, particularly, in natural science and social subjects and more clearly in Islamic education subjects, the languages, and the home economics.
This should lead to the creation of environmental awareness and the preparation of a generation knowing its environment and being aware of its problems and willing to participate in solving them.
The seminar also focussed on the role women play in protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development. If women are considered as one half of the community and are able to use their creative capacities and as many rights and freedom as they are granted, women can take care of their children in addition to gathering the family members in a way fortifying her role in building and improving the community.
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