Climate change: Activists urge Zimbabwean govt to increase youths participation
By Bisola Adeyemo
Zimbabwe climate change activist from Environmental Rights Advocacy Trust, Lisa Chitura, on Friday has urged the government to use different ways of campaigns to involve youths on board to adapt to climate change.
Chitura stated this while expressing concern that young people in rural and urban agricultural communities know about climate change but are ignorant on intervention mechanisms.
According to him, the younger generation must know and understand climate change to tap into their knowledge and innovativeness.
“We engaged young people in agriculture and they are aware of climate change but they said they will keep on doing what they have been doing all these years. This means we need to teach them new ways they can use as a way to adapt to climate change,” she said.
Chitura also added that there is a gap that needs to be addressed which has caused most youths not to participate in the climate change policy process.
“Most people who participate in climate change issues are mostly those who did geography and environmental science of which these issues affect everyone. We need to come up with methods to engage young people at an early age so that they can help us come up with innovations and solutions on how to tackle climate change issues,” she added.
In Zimbabwe, young people constitute 60 percent of the total population which means their actions will add a quantitative value of climate ambition.
Another climate change activist, Dr. Keith Phiri encouraged youths to participate in climate change issues.
“Ghana is now leading in manufacturing solar-powered cars and they employed over 300 young women in producing those cars. This is what we should copy and increase youth participation in making positive solutions to climate change.
“Youth are better placed to develop more innovative technologies needed for both mitigation and adaptation as they are currently being faced with the imperatives of both Education 5.0 and the new primary and secondary curriculum framework,” added Phiri.
