International Youth Day: How African Youths contribute to climate change fight

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

Many African youth became involved with climate change issues in 2006 when the African Youth Initiative on Climate (AYICC) was launched, World Meteorological Organisation report reveals.

This took place during the 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Since then, the network has grown and gained momentum. It is now the leading youth movement on climate change and sustainable development in Africa, with well over 10 000 members in 42 countries.

AYICC is recognized as a strong constituency for youth in Africa by many international organizations, including the African Union Commission, the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC), the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Over the last four years, more than 300 African youth leaders have participated in the annual climate change international conferences.

AYICC members create climate change awareness in their communities and work on adapting to climate change impacts. They use AYICC as a hub to share best practices. Together they build a conscientious and resilient generation of African youths who will act as change makers and global citizens.

One of the greatest youth mobilizations for climate justice in Africa has been the African Youth Climate Justice Caravan, dubbed “We Have Faith – Act Now for Climate Justice.” Some 160 youth from 18 countries embarked on a caravan trip from Nairobi, Kenya, across six countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa, WMO report disclosed.

They have performed in 10 climate justice concerts and numerous street shows through rain and shine all the way to Durban in December 2011 to demand climate justice at COP 17.

Also, in May, young African environmental activists urged that youths should have a bigger say in decision-making to find solutions, including at upcoming COP26 UN climate talks set for November in Glasgow.

In an online discussion joined by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nigerian environmentalist Olumide Idowu said African youth could “no longer afford to be spectators of our future.”

“Most of these negotiators negotiate on behalf of us, without us … we should be looking at how we can be a part of these negotiations,” Idowu said.

From stronger heatwaves and storms, to droughts and flooding, climate impacts are hitting Africa increasingly hard, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Droughts have killed crops, worsening existing food insecurity across the continent, while excessive rains and flooding have contributed to unprecedented plagues of locusts and the spread of diseases.

And with key interim UN climate negotiations, ahead of the November talks, now set to happen online, low-income countries, including those in Africa, could be disadvantaged by poor internet access.

The young environmentalists said African grassroots activists can be particularly effective at tailoring climate messages to local people in order to lower climate risks and build support for climate action.

That includes engaging communities on social media or translating climate science into useable information on risks to food production and security, they said.