By Deeq S Yusuf
Saturday November 5, 2022
In November 2022, between the 6th and
the 18th, the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt will host
the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP
27), with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for
future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.
With the Ministry of Youth and Sports taking the
lead, the Somali government should support youth-led, climate mitigation and
adaptation initiatives that create sustainable future for young people and
society at large. Comprising of 75% of the national population, the youth in
Somalia who face chronic unemployment and lack of educational and economic
opportunities, bear the brunt of the climate crisis.
Due
to Somalia’s protracted civil strife that has affected women, children and the
youth the most, there is need to shed light on the interlinkages between
climate, youth, peace and security. As such, we advocate for climate solutions
that address peace, security and development while empowering the youth in
advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Like other youths around the world, the Somali
youth have inherited the consequences of climate crisis that the older
generations around the world have passed on to them. As a first line of action, the Ministry will
support youth-led initiatives across Somalia as well as incorporate into policy
programs, youth-inspired and youth-owned climate action plans to be acted upon
locally. Overall, climate finance will be critical in supporting youth-led
initiatives aimed at building resilience, meeting emission targets and
attaining long-term sustainability goals.
Sectoral Priorities for Somali Youth
Being the largest segment of the Somali
population, the Youth are well placed as the best tool to combat the effects of
climate change. They should play a key role in critical sectors and partake in
climate measures in agriculture and livestock such as the switch to smart
agriculture, adaptation to drought resistant crops and organic farming. In
terms of livestock, the youth can play a role in promoting pastoral population
awareness raising and climate education. In the water sector, the youth can
engage in water conservation initiatives, improvement of provision of quality
water as well as in gender mainstreaming of climate and water management. In
the fisheries sector, the youth should form part of livelihood diversification in
coastal communities and take action in marine pollution reduction. In terms of
energy, the youth have an important role to play in the development of policy
and legislative frameworks to promote clean energy solutions. When it comes to
forestry, the youth can actively engage in reforestation campaigns, especially
in areas prone to environmental degradation.
Engaging Youth in Climate Action
As has been proposed in numerous global forums,
there are three ways in which governments, policy and community leaders as well
as international organizations can engage the youth for effective climate
action. These include engaging and harnessing youth skills, investing in
youth-led climate solutions and giving the youth a seat at the decision-making
table. The Ministry is committed to making all the above actions a cornerstone
of its youth focused climate mitigation and climate adaptation programs.
1. Harnessing Youth Skills
The Ministry will tap into actionable youth
sustainability efforts by engaging them in youth-led climate action
initiatives. From engagement in innovative farming techniques such as
hydroponics and sustainable fish production, afforestation, tree planting and
recycling, promoting responsible consumption and climate friendly lifestyles,
to efficient green energy consumption, to raising public awareness,
environmental community action, volunteering and more, the youth can be counted
upon as drivers of change in the overall mitigation and adaptation of climate
change. Apart from harnessing youth skills, the Ministry while working with
other line ministries, will call for investment in climate education to help
create a climate aware cadre of youth across the country. The Somali school
curriculum should adequately address challenges arising from the climate crisis.
More importantly, we believe that the Somali government’s job creation plans
should make youth employment in the climate sector a key priority in all its
national sustainability programs.
2. Investing in Youth-led Solutions.
Somali youth entrepreneurs, innovators and
start-ups possess the capacity to create innovative solutions that can
effectively tackle climate challenges facing the country. The Somali government
and private sector should support the potential for youth innovative solutions
that are scalable and credible. Whenever climate finance becomes available, the
ministry will set-up a youth specific climate fund to enable the country’s
young generation engage in climate action either through community development
and activism or through youth entrepreneurship. Due to Somalia’s scarce
resources, the Ministry will engage international partners to find avenues that
can help make funding available to youth-led climate action initiatives.
3. A Seat at the Decision-Making Table
When it comes to decision-making on climate
related issues, young people around the world often lack a seat at the table.
To address this critical gap, the Ministry will create space for youth to
engage policy-makers at the highest possible decision-making organs so that
their views, concerns and policy options are integrated into the national
decision-making processes while ensuring their ideas are acted upon from
grassroots to national level. The Somali youth should be presented with the
opportunity to partake in climate action on numerous fronts, including policy
forums, public awareness campaigns, mainstream and social media circles and
more importantly, engage in direct community action in all spheres of climate
action that affects them
Lastly, since the climate crisis is global in
nature, it requires the implementation of multiplicity of ideas conceived
locally and globally. In that regard, we would encourage the Somali youth to
engage other youth on the global stage and borrow from best practices around
the world including those pursued by the youth-centred Foundation for
Environmental Stewardship (FES) an accredited organization by the United
Nations that has a special consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations and United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP). FES empowers youth to create a more inclusive,
fair, prosperous, and sustainable future. Some of FES’ s actions worth emulating include its mission is to create a sustainable
future by empowering youth, changing lifestyles, and telling powerful,
effective stories through training, education, advocacy, and mentorship.
Deeq S Yusuf
Director General
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Federal Government of Somalia.
[email protected] [email protected]