Executive chairperson of the National Youth Council Sharonice Busch says over the past few years, Namibia has witnessed the emergence of inspiring youth-led initiatives that are focused on galvanising climate action at both local and national levels.
Busch noted that from environmental clubs in schools to community-based projects and organisations such as Youth4CAN, NaYORE, Wakapinya, Women in Agriculture, and EduVentures, young people are taking the lead in implementing practical solutions in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and so forth.
"Our duty, as the National Youth Council, is to support and amplify the voices and work of these young climate activists and actors so that we can foster a sense of ownership and empower them to continue driving impactful change at whatever levels they operate," said Busch during the recently concluded National Youth Climate Change Summit.
The summit which took place in Windhoek saw many youths engage in discussions around climate change awareness and the need to take climate smart action, where the youth can derive finances to support their project implementation plans and how they can overall contribute to the cause.
The National Youth Climate Action Network of Namibia (Youth4CAN) is a youth-led network with representation from all 14 regions of Namibia. Youth4CAN promotes evidence-based climate action at a local and national level.
In a statement during the summit, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said youth voices are a critical part of the inclusivity needed to ensure national policies such as the Namibian development cooperation.
"The sustainability of Namibia's resources, environment, and ecosystems survival depends on your (the youth) concerted efforts to form part of these discussions, implementation and course of actions," said Shifeta.
He continued: "You are the leaders and citizens of tomorrow. You need to actively participate to save mother earth and shape a green future that starts today. We are running out of time, this is your chance to deliberate and amplify your voices in partnership and highlight vulnerabilities and challenges youth experience, propose solutions, and raise your demands against climate change".
European Union ambassador to Namibia Sinikka Antilla said Namibia is one of the most vulnerable countries to the adverse impacts of climate change and will continue to experience extreme conditions, such as irregular rainfall patterns, persistent droughts and floods, which expose the land and affect the environment adversely.
"While Namibia's contribution to the Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is just 0.003% of the global share, the country remains committed to climate change leadership and intends to promote more successful and bold steps to solve climate related problems facing the world," she noted.
Namibia made aggressive proposals to reduce 91% of its emissions by 2030, with the aim of reaching net zero beyond 2030.
British deputy high commissioner Charlotte Fenton, at the same event, said: "It is the leaders of our countries that are pledging commitments to tackle climate change. But commitments need action. It is you, the youth, who hold in your hands the future of this planet and the next generation. And so you need and deserve to have your voices heard".
For the last two years, the British High Commission has supported the hosting of the Model UN conference, enabling an opportunity to give the youth of Namibia a platform - for their voices to be heard, for them to learn more about climate change and its impact on the globe.
The United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) resident representative Alka Bhatia said to mitigate and adapt to these effects, UNDP has taken up measures to enhance resilience to cope with various challenges through strengthening infrastructure and improving disaster preparedness and response systems.
Additionally, the organization is promoting sustainable land and water management practices, and integrating climate change adaptation into development planning at national, regional and local levels.
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"Nurturing an enabling environment that cultivates and supports young innovators and entrepreneurs is paramount. It necessitates equipping them with the requisite tools, resources, and opportunities to devise and implement sustainable solutions," said Bhatia.
She said Namibia has a significant youth population, presenting both opportunities and challenges, adding that to harness the potential of the youth there are different organizations prioritising investments in quality education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
"We have various fora such as YouthConnekt in which we engage women and youth in decision-making processes and provide a platform for their active participation to contribute towards sustainable development.
"Last year, the launch of the YouthConnekt Namibia Chapter brought together more than 400 youth from all regions of the country, and we intend to increase attendance this year and hope that youth from this summit will utilise the opportunity," said Bhatia.
