NAIROBI, 8th September 2023 (WAM) — The COP28 UAE Youth Climate Champion (YCC) is stepping up its commitment to inclusion by promoting youth engagement globally, with a special focus on amplifying youth voices at Africa Climate Week in Nairobi, Kenya.

The YCC team has launched a series of dynamic initiatives aimed not only at highlighting the concerns of young people, but also at highlighting their indispensable role in addressing the climate crisis.

Chama Al Mazrui, COP28 Community Development and Youth Climate Champion, highlighting the team’s efforts, said: “As Africa is the youngest continent in the world, it is important that we hear the voices of young people, especially those that the COP28 Presidency has committed to ensuring are at the center of our discussions would be the perspectives and aspirations of young people, especially in Africa and the South.

On the sidelines of Africa Climate Week, Al Mazrui stood alongside African youths as they visited areas affected by climate change in Nairobi, including Kibera, the capital’s largest informal settlement.

During her visit to Kibera, she met with young leaders who supported solutions-based initiatives to address the effects of climate change in their communities. To help elevate Kibera’s voice in the climate talks, Al Mazrui invited two members of the community to attend COP28 in the UAE in November.

Guided by YCC’s strategic framework ‘PAVE’ – Participation, Education, Voice and Action, the team organized a series of initiatives during Africa Climate Week aligned with these essential pillars.

To encourage youth participation, the team facilitated the participation of 11 delegates from COP28’s International Young Climate Delegate Program at the Africa Climate Summit. Delegates actively participated in the talks following comprehensive capacity building sessions. In addition, the team has established a help desk for the YCC, providing a platform for young people who want to get information about the role of the YCC, COP28 and opportunities to get involved in the Blue and Green Zones.

In terms of action, YCC and YOUNGO collaborated in the organization of several events. These events included a green job fair to support youth employment in critical industries and a networking session that highlighted youth-led projects and linked them to philanthropies and funding foundations. Investments in growth opportunities. A number of these CCJ-led initiatives will be developed during COP28, notably the Green Jobs Fair. The team organized a “Local and Youth Evaluation Event” in collaboration with YOUNGO, the official United Nations Youth and Children’s Organization, and the ACE Hub, which looked at the synergy between local and youth-led evaluations, effectively advocating for a holistic. commitments that resonate with the demands of children and young people.

The focus on amplifying youth voices was highlighted by Al Mazrui’s intervention at the “Executive Summary and Road to Nairobi, COP28 and Beyond” in the presence of UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Steele. She emphasized the urgent need to re-evaluate youth participation in climate action and previous COPs. She promised that the role of youth climate champion would promote youth inclusion and create a comprehensive model for future COPs.

In education, the team offered young Africans the opportunity to explore a climate-focused online course curriculum and certification programs created with Coursera, giving away 250 free licenses to new participants throughout the week. The team also organized an awareness-raising session with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) titled ‘From Ambition to Action’, which highlighted the key role of youth councils in Africa in promoting increased youth engagement as part of the UAE’s efforts to exchange best practices. in the inclusion of young people.

At COP28 in March 2028, the Youth Climate Champion launched its “International Youth Climate Delegate Programme”, the largest initiative of its kind to enable young people around the world to fully participate in the climate change process. COP with a special focus on young people. people from least developed countries and small island developing States. Of the 100 delegates selected, 36 are of African descent.

Translated by Gihane Fawzi.

https://wam.ae/en/details/1395303194914