All is set for the African Youth conference on climate change (AfriYOCC) taking place in the resort town of Victoria Falls which started today.
Running under the theme “African Youth responses to climate change and food security; Action from the frontline,’’ the conference is aimed at creating a platform for young people in Africa to converge and deliberate on emerging issues relating to climate change on the continent.
By Pretty Chavango
The event which is a first of its kind comes after calls by the African Union during the 23rd AU summit of Head of States in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea which tasked the setting up of a youth programme of the Committee of African Heads of States and Government of Climate Change (CAHOSCC) on engagement on issues of climate change.
The conference which starts today and continues until the 27th of October is expected to attract more than 200 delegates from Zimbabwe and other African countries. Young people attending the conference will have the opportunity to hold strategic meetings on country and local level activities on climate change mitigation and adaption.
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Zimbabwe United Nations Association (ZUNA) President, Mr Fischer Chiyanike confirmed the conference saying this platform will give young people an opportunity to participate fully in mitigation and adaption of Climate change.
“Considering the weather patterns that we are experiencing these days, the youth should engage with the SDGs especially SDG number 13 and all its targets. The youth as they are our hope for achieving the SDGs that’s why we have brought forward this platform to host African Youth” he said.
Sustainable development goal 13 calls for the need to take urgent action to combat climate change.
Zimbabwe as the host country will use this platform to present its position on climate change and raise awareness on its statutory practices. Jean Betrand, a ZUNA youth who is working on this project, says this is an opportunity for young people to have a say in issues happening around them and effect change.
“After the conference, we are going to deliver our youth position paper to the Heads of States of African countries who will be meeting at the Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa on what we will have agreed on ahead of the CoP21 in Paris “, he said.
The fifth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa will also be happening in Victoria Falls, right after the youth conference from the 28th to 30 October under the theme “Africa, Sustainable Development and Climate Change: prospects of Paris and beyond”.
The Climate Change and Development Africa (CCDA) is an annual forum designed to strengthen linkages between climate science and development policy by promoting transparent discussions between key stakeholders in the climate and development community.
Deliberations will be made on Africa’s position on climate change ahead of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) which will take place from 30 November to 11 December 2015, in Paris, a crucial conference, as it needs to achieve a new international agreement on the climate, applicable to all countries, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°C.
With a host of conferences lined up aimed on addressing climate change, countries are tasked to come up with initiatives of curbing its acceleration.
Zimbabwe has not been spared by climatic changes as evident in Kariba Dam’s water levels dropping to a record low due to a series of successive droughts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Effects have been felt in both Zimbabwe and Zambia which have both experienced poor rainfall.
The conference which is being spearheaded by Zimbabwe United Nations Association (ZUNA) is supported by various organisations in the country namely: Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate change, Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC), Youth for Life Association, Business Connect, You Count International, Simukai Africa, Action 24, Youth Agenda, Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi University of Technology, United Nations Information Centre, Impressive Signs and various environmental consultants.
Photo Credit: www.victoriafalls.net
