Dr Antwi Boasiako Amoah, Project Coordinator of National Adaption Plan on Climate Change for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has intimated that, youth inclusion is important in climate change because it will bring innovations in climate solutions.
Speaking during a workshop aimed at developing a strategic document on how young people could be engaged and be active stakeholders in fighting climate change, he averred that, as a young and energetic portion of the population, the youth ought to be given the opportunity to contribute their quota in the fight against climate change.
“This requires that young people are provided with adequate knowledge and information on environmental issues to help them understand the country’s climate situation.
“They require to be sensitised on good environmental and climate practices and be encouraged to adopt same in their every-day dealings.”
Also speaking at the workshop, Mr Chibeze Ezekiel, Executive Coordinator of Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), posited that, building the capacity of young people as key actors in the fight against climate change is essential and strategic.
He said the youth were energetic and only needed relevant information and technical guidance to help address climate change issues.
Mr Chibeze Ezekiel speaking on the development of a strategic document on how young people could be engaged and be active stakeholders in fighting climate change indicated that, the document when validated would be a blueprint for youth involvement in mitigating climate change.
He further stated that, the youth could contribute to climate action processes through advocacy by educating more young people and communities as well as influence government policies and programmes to ensure that it created an enabling environment needed towards attaining climate solutions.
Touching on challenges associated with the climate change fight, Mr.Ezekiel said a major challenge in the climate change fight was inadequate opportunities for youth participation in decision making. This he advised was not good and urged that, the youth be consulted at all levels both local and national.
“Consultation with youth groups on climate actions should be hinged on a participatory and fully transparent principle.”
Mr. Ezekiel said state and non-state actors should sponsor green entrepreneurial development, saying, there should be an institutional financial scheme to fund youth-lead climate solutions. He explained that once the youth strategy was developed, SYND would meet state and non-state actors, government agencies, and development partners on its adoption into the national platform.
The workshop was organised by SYND on the development of a youth strategy for climate action in Ghana. to develop a strategic document on how young people could be engaged and be active stakeholders in fighting climate change.
For climate change to be taken on in various countries, the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy was brought about.
According to the UNDP, the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy intends to ensure a consistent, comprehensive and a targeted approach to increasing climate resilience and decrease vulnerability of the populace.
The UNDP also stated that, the strategy is to deepen awareness and sensitisation for the general populace particularly policy makers about the critical role of adaptation in national development efforts.
