Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has called on the youth to actively participate in saving the planet and shaping a green future.
“The involvement of youth is very paramount in the fight against climate change. Youth education represents one of the most effective tools to combat the destructive potential of climate change and cultivate an international understanding among members of the next generation since it is a long-term process that will impact an infinite number of future generations,” he said.
Shifeta made these remarks during the inaugural National Youth Climate Change Summit and Namibia Local Conference of Youth 2023, which recently took place in Windhoek. The event, organised by the National Youth Climate Action Network of Namibia and the National Youth Council, was held under the theme “Empowering Youth for Climate Actions.”
The minister explained that the world is facing a common challenge: climate change. He added that the business-as-usual industrial approach will no longer work, as it has affected global temperatures, leading to extreme weather conditions such as droughts, floods, cyclones, extreme heatwaves, and sea-level rise, among others. These impacts are alarming, he emphasised, especially for young people who will inherit the world in the years to come.
Shifeta highlighted Namibia as one of the countries that is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This vulnerability, he explained, is a result of the country’s arid conditions, which make it susceptible to extreme drought events, flash floods, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme temperatures due to climate change.
“Last year, Namibia experienced a late rainfall onset season, which was welcomed in late December peeking early January, and accompanied by thunderstorms and hailstorms. This harsh weather led to flash floods resulting to the loss of properties, human lives, and economic losses,” he said.
He therefore called on the youth to actively participate in finding a lasting solution for climate change. He also acknowledged and expressed support for the efforts of the country’s youth in engaging and consolidating their voices to fight against climate change.
“We are running out of time, this is your chance to deliberate and amplify your voices in partnership and highlight key vulnerabilities and challenges youth experience, propose solutions, and raise your demands against climate change,” he added.
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