Africa-Press – Lesotho. Youth organization, Plant One Tree, marked last week’s Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day (YCAAD) with a major national consultation, aiming to arm young Basotho with the knowledge to combat climate change.
Held at the State Library, the event connected over 50 youth-led organizations, both in person and virtually, creating a vital platform for them to share their views on Lesotho’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
The consultation focused on how youth-led groups can directly contribute to achieving these national climate goals through collaboration, networking, and driving policy-making and conservation actions.
Mpho Lebesa, Co-Founding Director of Plant One Tree, highlighted the global significance of the day.
“The Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day, organized annually on October 12 by the Global Center on Adaptation, is the largest annual youth adaptation event, taking place in over 100 countries,” Lebesa stated.
She explained the critical role of NDCs, which are national climate action plans mandated by the Paris Agreement.
“These plans outline how countries like Lesotho plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts, and they must be updated with greater ambition every five years,” Lebesa said.
Adding to this, she clarified that NAPs are specifically designed to help Least Developed Countries like Lesotho identify their medium and long-term adaptation needs and develop strategies to address them, with the core objective of building resilience and reducing vulnerability.
Kealeboha Lenka, Climate Change Officer from the Lesotho Meteorological Services, underscored the indispensable role of youth in this process. In her presentation, she noted that the NDC explicitly recognises that “climate resilience cannot be achieved without the full participation of the youth.”
Lenka outlined both the risks and the strengths young people bring. She pointed to economic threats, where climate impacts like agricultural decline jeopardize youth livelihoods, and social impacts, where poverty and instability can be exacerbated.
However, she also emphasized the unique value of youth, stating, “Young people are often leaders in adopting new digital tools for early warning systems and embracing renewable energy solutions. Their involvement ensures traditional and local adaptation knowledge is preserved and integrated with modern science.”
The forum concluded with a strong focus on actionable outcomes, including advocating for funding and policy support for youth-led projects such as school tree-planting, keyhole gardens, and water conservation initiatives.
The consolidated insights from this youth consultation are set to play a crucial role, as they will help shape and inform the decision-making of global leaders at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November.
The event was held in collaboration with the Global Center on Adaptation, the European Union in Lesotho, Lesotho Meteorological Services, the International Organization for Migration, the Ministry of Forestry and Environment, Kick4Life, the National Climate Change Committee, the Ministry of Youth, Gender and Social Development and UNICEF Lesotho.
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