Membangun Peradaban Bersama Rakyat

In the midst of rampant conflicts and disasters caused by climate, social workers and universities must begin to direct the object of research and service to the impact of climate change.

The head of the Bengkulu Branch of the Indonesian Professional Social Workers Association (IPSPI), Cucu Syamsudin, said that social workers must contribute to fight the impacts of climate change.

“COP 21 Paris, France has ended, resulting in the Paris agreement which is adhered to by 195 countries in fighting the effects of climate change. There is an agreement that developed countries will help developing countries fight the effects of climate change. So far the role of environmental social workers has not been seen to contribute significantly,” said Syamsudin’s grandson in Bengkulu, Wednesday (6/1/2016).

He said, in fact, the role of social workers globally is needed in carrying out climate change mitigation and adaptation work.

“Population explosion, technology that is not environmentally friendly produces negative effects of environmental toxins, pollution, and degraded ecosystems. The impact is on the scale of communities, regions and countries. The impacts of global climate change also affect mental and physical health, climate systems and weather conditions that affect the environment. messed up, and so on,” added Grandson.

Management of natural resources that does not take sides in the interests of the community, agrarian disputes, and forest destruction have resulted in increasingly acute poverty.
Cucu said that efforts to overcome this are also the responsibility of social workers.

He emphasized that social workers and universities must start directing the object of research and service on the impacts of climate change.

“So far, social workers in Indonesia may not fully understand what climate change is, meaning that social workers in Indonesia must also deepen their understanding of it,” he explained.

Indeed, there are many steps that must be taken by social workers in participating in dealing with the impacts of climate change. The most important thing as a first step is to inspire and introduce environmental social workers.

Furthermore, Cucu suggested that Indonesia could include the agenda of environmental social workers in countering the impacts of climate change at the upcoming COP 22 in Morocco.

“We hope that the government can appreciate this proposal so that the role of environmental social workers can contribute to handling the impacts of climate change,” he concluded.

Author: Firmansyah. Editor: Yunanto Wiji Utomo.
Source: www.kompas.com