SCG invites environmentally conscious young people to join the trip 'Who Makes Change - Planting Seagrass @ Trang' to plant seagrass, the hero of carbon dioxide absorption, which can help mitigate the global warming crisis up to 35 times more than planting trees on land, at the largest seagrass community in Thailand located in Modtanoy, Kantang District, Trang. Participants will learn and exchange experiences in environmental conservation, engage in planting with experts and community representatives who are true advocates of seagrass planting, and inspire others to join in sustainably addressing the global warming crisis.

Ms. Venus Asavasitthavorn, Director of the Enterprise Brand Management Office at SCG stated, "SCG believes in the power of the new generation of green advocates who are crucial in tackling the global warming crisis. We invite young people to join the trip 'Who Makes Change - Planting Seagrass @ Trang', which is part of the 'Plant, Reduce, Heat' project, to learn and exchange experiences in addressing the global warming crisis, particularly through seagrass planting, a plant that absorbs carbon dioxide more effectively than any other terrestrial plants and helps restore marine resources. All participants will learn and be inspired to take real action to create change for the world together through various activities, including Learn From The Real, where they will learn about the importance and interconnection of seagrass ecosystems/mangroves and local wildlife from environmental experts, local sages, and youth from the Modtanoy community; Grow Your Plant, where they will plant seagrass and mangroves correctly for sustainable growth; and Nature Reconnect, where they will experience the lifestyle of coastal communities living in harmony with nature and gain knowledge on how to communicate and empower those around them to join in changing the world for the better together."

 

Dr. Phet Manopawitr, a conservation scientist with over 20 years of experience working with various global environmental organizations such as IUCN, UNDP, WWF, and WCS, said, "Climate change is having severe impacts, causing underwater heatwaves and ocean acidification, as well as extreme weather conditions leading to frequent disasters. Seagrass is a crucial ecosystem for maintaining coastal balance and promoting the fertility of mangroves and coral reefs, mitigating storm impacts, and directly addressing the global warming crisis, as seagrass can sequester carbon up to 35 times more than tropical forests, earning it the title of blue carbon. Additionally, it helps protect biodiversity, as seagrass is home to the endangered dugong. Trang is known as the dugong capital and is home to the largest and most abundant seagrass area in Thailand, making it deserving of proper conservation and restoration."

Ms. Rosita Prakong, or Nong Sanma, a 16-year-old youth leader from the Modtanoy community shared about the community's collaboration in caring for nature, saying, "I was born and raised in a fishing community by the sea and started planting seagrass at the age of 6 because my mother instilled in me the importance of mangroves and seagrass to our ecosystem and its impact on our fishing practices. As I grew older, my friends and I formed a youth group of 30-40 people to help care for the environment in our community, planting seagrass and mangroves and cleaning up the beach to ensure our community remains abundant with marine life. We are very proud to contribute to the community's prosperity, bringing happiness to our elders and allowing people in the village to continue their fishing livelihoods."

Ms. Supapich Chaidit, Mr. Yothin Thongphawa, and Mr. Phanuwat Dechanuphanon, three members of the Grow Up Together team, shared their impressions and what they gained from participating in this activity, saying, "We three are members of the Child and Youth Council of Thailand, and we prioritize environmental issues, but we mostly focus on education. We rarely get to engage in practical activities and had no idea how important seagrass is, so we decided to join the trip. We learned about the current climate change issues, the significance of seagrass as blue carbon, and the community's approach to living in balance with the environment, including waste separation from a young age. We are determined to develop policies regarding environmental issues that will encourage behavioral changes in youth to recognize the value of the environment. We believe the hardest part is planting trees in people's hearts. Conservation and caring for the planet is not just for oneself but for the future. Communicating the impacts and raising awareness about the changes happening around us is essential to understanding that climate change affects the entire ecosystem in both the short and long term. Learning through real experiences will help everyone see the importance of environmental issues best, just like we did by participating in this trip."

 

"The global warming crisis is an urgent mission that everyone must work together to solve and pay attention to environmental conservation. SCG is also one of the businesses committed to sustainable operations alongside environmental care, social responsibility, and good corporate governance (ESG) according to SCG's ESG 4 Plus framework (aiming for Net Zero - Go Green - Lean Inequality - Emphasize Cooperation under fairness and transparency). One of our goals is to achieve Net Zero, reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, which requires collaboration from various sectors to address the issue seriously and achieve tangible and sustainable results. Therefore, we believe that this activity will inspire and support the new generation of passionate and conservation-minded individuals to continue SCG's commitment to expand widely, encouraging people to absorb carbon dioxide to reduce global warming by planting trees and restoring natural resources sustainably, as well as being part of creating a Green Economy to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals in line with the BCG framework and Thailand's hosting of APEC 2022," Ms. Venus concluded.