The Green-Niche Conservational Institute, in collaboration with recent graduates from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Catholic University of South Sudan, has officially launched the Climate Resilience Initiative for South Sudan (CRISS), a grassroots program aimed at combating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability across the country.
The launch event, held in Juba on Saturday afternoon, drew key stakeholders, including community leaders and government officials, with the Director General for Climate Change at the National Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Lutana Musa Lasu, in attendance.
Dut Deng Achuil, Executive Director of Green-Niche, said the initiative was timely and necessary, emphasizing the urgent need to implement climate-resilient strategies and promote sustainable practices that benefit both people and nature.
“People and nature are inherently connected; they are not separate entities,” Achuil said during his keynote speech at the event.
“Our existence depends on nature, and without people to care for and nurture the environment, both would falter. Now is the time to implement climate-resilient initiatives and promote sustainable practices.”
He further underscored the importance of collaboration, calling on other organizations and stakeholders to join hands in addressing the climate crisis.
“Progress cannot be achieved alone,” he added. “Together, we can create a sustainable and resilient future.”
The Climate Resilience Initiative for South Sudan aims to empower local communities by equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to adapt to climate impacts.
The program includes components such as climate-smart agriculture, waste management, environmental education, biodiversity conservation, tree planting, and capacity building.
Speaking at the same event, Lutana Musa Lasu praised the initiative and echoed the call for collective action in tackling climate change, citing warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
“At the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, we commend initiatives like this that aim to combat climate change,” Lasu said.
“If we do not intensify efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth’s temperature could rise by more than two degrees Celsius. Such a rise would have severe consequences for life on our planet.”
Lasu urged all stakeholders to work together to meet nationally determined targets and protect the environment for future generations.
South Sudan has experienced increasing vulnerability to climate change, with shifting rainfall patterns and rising flood risks.
In recent years, frequent and intense floods have displaced tens of thousands of families, particularly in the Upper Nile region.
Despite these challenges, stakeholders at Green-Niche expressed optimism that locally driven initiatives like CRISS could significantly contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in the country.
Green-Niche, one of South Sudan’s leading conservation and scientific institutes, has long been committed to environmental protection. Its core pillars include climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, livelihood development, environmental education, advocacy, and community empowerment.
“We believe in a holistic approach,” said Achuil. “By working directly with communities, we are planting the seeds of change in our mission to protect the environment and empower people.”
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