Africa-Press – Eswatini. “We need to give young people the chance to lead. Too often they are dismissed, yet we ask them to inherit the problems created by previous generations. We must listen to them, empower them, include them,” says Mary Robinson, UN Envoy Special on Climate Change.
By 2030, the target year for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the youth population globally is predicted that it would have reached 1.3 billion, hence the urgent need for youth capacitation and involvement in efforts made towards achieving these SDGs because they are the ones who will inherit the future and will be the most affected by the outcomes of the SDGs. SDG number 13 (climate action), in particular, needs all hands on deck because the atrocious effects of climate change are looming in Eswatini, and the whole world at large, thus affecting our livelihoods and biodiversity.
Climate change results in flooding coupled with poor water management, heatwaves, droughts and, therefore, increases all factors that keep people, the youth in particular, in poverty. Youth Engagement in Climate Action, therefore, is very significant as the youth have a unique perspective and energy that can be used to develop innovative solutions and are accountable for change. The youth of Eswatini can involve themselves in the fight against climate change by attending and participating in conferences and events about climate action, both physically and virtually. These include The Global Youth Climate Summit (GYCS), The One Young World Summit and the Conference of the Parties (COP), just to name a few.
COP28
The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a global summit where climate experts will gather to discuss climate action and progress. Its goal is to improve the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. COP28 will be held in Dubai, UAE from November 30 to December 12, 2023. COP28 is particularly significant for a number of reasons. To begin with, it is hoped that this conference will improve the goal of limiting global temperatures from rising to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This goal remains vital because it aims to avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change, as stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Another aspect of COP28 is the ratification of the Paris Agreement Rulebook and the discussion of loss and damage funding.
The approval of the Paris Agreement Rulebook by all parties is crucial to ensuring that it is implemented effectively to ensure that countries are held accountable for their commitments. The discussion of loss and damage funding is significant because it will help to address the issue of climate-related losses and damages in developing countries, which have been appallingly affected by the damages, such as Eswatini. Youth participation in negotiations and the discussions at COP28 can be a very beneficial experience for young people in Eswatini; academically and otherwise. They will acquire the opportunity to express their ideas and perspectives on climate change with a global audience, and thus be able to share what they got from the conference with other young people through peer-to-peer learning.
Prior to COP28
With less than two weeks before COP28, there are identified activities that can be done in preparation for the conference. As the Eswatini Climate Change Youth Parliament (ECCYP), we have currently launched the #KnowYourYMP campaign as means to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change in our respective Tinkhundla and sensitise other young people in the country. Taking action is, therefore, the next step, and this will be done through activities such as clean up and tree planting campaigns, which we, as the ECCYP will demonstrate, or rather hope to initialize before COP28. The youth also has to lead by example, and this, through taking measures to reduce our carbon footprint by using energy efficient devices, recycling and eating less meat. Yes; eating less meat.
Post COP28
After COP28, I believe it lies within the young people who will have had the wonderful opportunity to go to Dubai for the conference, representing emaSwati. They have to be given platforms to share insights from COP28. Moreover, it would be also vital that after COP28, another conference, whether through online surveys or physically, is held to gather young people from all four regions to discuss pressing issues that require discussion and action, relating to climate change. Young people also have to get access to funding to implement any solutions they have in their Tinkhundla, such as ideas for drip irrigation. These solutions would have to be assessed, monitored and evaluated to ensure their continuity. Lastly, it would be very crucial for the youth to be engaged through passing down of indigenous knowledge and educating youngsters about past traditions, to allow for preparedness among the youth, in terms of climate action. As we prepare for COP28, the significance of youth engagement prior and post cannot be emphasised enough.
Source: times
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