Youth Climate Advocacy

Special Report November 2020 Youth Climate Advocacy ALEX BENKENSTEIN, ROMY CHEVALLIER, DESIRÉE KOSCIULEK, DITEBOGO LEBEA & KIARA WORTH African perspectives Global insights Executive summary Climate change is one of the most significant intergenerational equity challenges of our time. Young people – who currently represent over 50% of the global population – are the generation who will not only be most impacted by climate change, but who will also inherit the responsibility for addressing it. This key constituency, however, is often neglected in policy processes and the design of climate change response measures and initiatives. The question of youth agency is particularly acute in Africa, the region most vulnerable to climate impacts and also the region with the youngest population, with almost 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25. In recent years, the voice of youth has become increasingly prominent in global responses to climate change injustice. Protest-oriented programmes, such as Fridays for Future, Earth Uprising and the Extinction Rebellion, have become part of broad social movements to enhance the voice of youth on climate change, address intergenerational climate justice and hold political leaders accountable for insufficient progress in addressing climate change. Youth voices have also become more prominent in formal climate negotiations and in national and global climate strategy formulation and implementation, while youth climate councils, advocacy networks and platforms have expanded in prominence and number. Young people are establishing networks in schools, universities and communities, taking action at local, national and international levels, and using social media, newsletters and a range of innovative communication strategies to better coordinate action and shape climate responses. As this youth movement continues to grow, it is important to document emerging lessons, strategies and modalities of youth climate advocacy in Africa. Highlighting and sharing these lessons with policymakers, members of civil society and activists in the region can help to build an understanding of what intergenerational equity and meaningful participation look like in practice. It can also help inspire actors to adopt emerging good practice and ultimately support ever greater levels of effective youth climate advocacy. Such efforts can help to ensure that youth are recognised as powerful agents of change with a central role in achieving a climate resilient future. `Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely daydreaming, but vision with action can change the world’ Nelson Mandela 2 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Abbreviations & acronyms ACA African Climate Alliance AIMS SIDS in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea AU African Union AYICC African Youth Initiative on Climate Change CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora COP Conference of the Parties COY Conference of Youth CSO Civil society organization DEFF South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries GHG Greenhouse gas HYPREP Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project JE Joda’s E-nfluence (Ethiopia) KAS Konrad Adenauer Stiftung NAMA Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions NAP National Adaptation Plan NAPA National Adaptation Programme of Action NDC Nationally Determined Contributions NGO Non-governmental organization NYCC Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition SADC Southern African Development Community SAIIA South African Institute of International Affairs SAYCCC South African Youth Centre for Climate Change SBI Subsidiary Body of Implementation SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SeyCATT Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust SIDS Small Island Developing States SNYC Seychelles National Youth Council SYAH SIDS Youth AIMS Hub UN United Nations UNECA UN Economic Commission for Africa 3 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY UNEP UN Environment Programme UNESCO UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCCC UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNICEF UN Children’s Fund WCPP Western Cape Provincial Parliament (South Africa) WESSA Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa WWF World Wide Fund for Nature YNSD Youth Network for Sustainable Development (Ethiopia) YOUNGO Youth NGOs Youth@SAIIA Youth Programmes at SAIIA YPC Youth Policy Committee (South Africa) 4 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Lead authors Alex Benkenstein is Programme Head of the Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). His research interests span climate change, ocean governance, extractive industries governance and, more broadly, resilience and transitions in African socio-ecological systems. Romy Chevallier is a Senior Researcher in the Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme at SAIIA, where she leads the Institute’s work on climate and environment. Her research interests cover various dimensions of climate change (international climate diplomacy, ecosystem-based and community-based adaptation, climate and development) as well as livelihoods-based approaches to development, integrated coastal zone governance, and Africa-Europe relations. Desirée Kosciulek is Head of Youth Programmes at SAIIA. She coordinates and facilitates national and multi-country youth projects, research programmes and activities for child and youth participation in climate change and sustainable development related processes. Ditebogo Lebea is the Youth Programmes Associate at SAIIA. She is also part of the South African Youth Policy Committee and has participated in a variety of policy conference and processes, including UNFCCC COP meetings. She is currently studying towards a Postgraduate Diploma at the Sustainability Institute at the University of Stellenbosch. Kiara Worth is a freelance writer, photographer and development consultant with a Phd in Political Science. She photographically documents international negotiations on environment and development with the UN, focusing particularly on climate change, the SDGs, chemicals management, biodiversity and agriculture. She has served as a youth coordinator and representative in various UN forums and has facilitated capacity building and youth participation with the UN locally and internationally. 5 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Young researchers Tyler Booth studying towards a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) in Radiobiology, University of Cape Town Sandisile Mkhonza studying towards a Bachelor of Accounting Science, University of Witwatersrand Feliciana Nezingu studying towards a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Relations, University of Pretoria Nkululeko Shabalala studying towards a Master of Social Science: Public Policy, University of KwaZulu-Natal Aaliyah Vayez studying towards a Master of Social Science: International Relations, University of Cape Town Matthew Wannenburgh studying towards a Master of Arts: Political Science, University of Stellenbosch Sibahle Zuma studying towards a Bachelor of Social Science: Political Science and Legal Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal 6 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Acknowledgment The South African Institute of International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung would like to acknowledge the valuable contribution of various stakeholders consulted during the development of this document, including youth climate advocates in the focus countries. About SAIIA SAIIA is an independent, non-government think tank whose key strategic objectives are to make effective input into public policy, and to encourage wider and more informed debate on international affairs, with particular emphasis on African issues and concerns. SAIIA’S special reports are fairly lengthy analytical papers, usually reflecting on and analysing the findings of field research. Cover image Matthew Griffiths, [email protected] All rights reserved. Copyright is vested in the South African Institute of International Affairs and the authors, and no part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission, in writing, of the publisher. 7 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Contents Executive summary 2 Abbreviations & acronyms 3 Lead authors 5 Young researchers 6 CHAPTER 1 10 Introduction: Youth climate leadership in Africa 10 Youth are drivers of change 10 Putting youth at the centre 11 Young people are already leading 13 Research objectives and report structure 15 CHAPTER 2 18 Youth, civil society organisations and academia 18 Establishing networks 20 National networks 21 Regional Networks 23 Global Networks 25 Social Media Advocacy 28 Using Virtual Platforms to Host Youth-related Events 30 Climate marches and online advocacy campaigns 32 Preparing Youth for a New Future: Building Capacity, Developing Skills and Increasing Opportunities 34 Input into Policy 38 Using Legal Frameworks to Promote Climate Justice 40 CHAPTER 3 42 Youth climate action and the role of government 42 Youth in National Climate Policy 42 Including youth in policy development 47 Contributing to policy 47 Increased access to decision-makers 50 8 Special Report | YOUTH CLIMATE ADVOCACY Government programmes for education, capacity building and job opportunities 52 Basic and tertiary education 52 Capacity building initiatives 53 Job opportunities and skills 55 Other processes for participation 58 Youth inclusion in official COP delegations 59 CHAPTER 4 64 Lessons learned and ideas for change 64 Networking and

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