By Ndi Eugene Ndi
Some 150 young leaders from across the continent begin converging on the Cameroon capital, Yaounde this Thursday for a historic moment for youth engagement on climate action – the inaugural Youth Forum on Adaptation Finance in Africa, YOFAFA2023.
During the two-day conference in prelude to the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) the young people from the continent will discuss and advocate for increased funding for climate resilience with a call on the international community to “commit to more than doubling adaption finance in Africa” according to organisers.
“Young people are not only most affected by climate change, but also the most innovative and creative in finding solutions. That is why we are organizing this forum, to showcase the best practices and initiatives of young Africans in adapting to climate change, to engage with policy makers and donors on how to increase financing and support for adaptation and to mobilise our peers and communities to take action,” said Dr Augustine Njamshi, Executive Director of African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access, ACSEA.
ACSEA; a network of Civil Society Organisations, private sector actors and the academia working to promote clean energy solutions and climate resilience across the continent is co-hosting the Yaounde that spans November 16 to 18 with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA, where Njamshi is also chair of Political and Technical Affairs along with other partners.
The devastating impacts of climate change – severe droughts, floods, reduced agricultural yields, food and water insecurity – have increased in Africa in the past years, according to the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI).
The continent’s climate crises are however not of her own making as Africa contributes less than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but remains one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change impacts. Faced with the severe impacts, experts say, adaption has become imperative for the continent, and this needs money.
“The money has to come from countries with historic responsibilities for climate change,” Njamshi told journalists at a press briefing in Yaounde on Tuesday. He explained that “the [Yaounde] forum is a unique opportunity for young Africans to raise their voices and demand more action and support for climate adaptation, one of the most urgent issue of our time”.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, Africa’s adaptation costs could reach $100 billion annually by the year 2050, yet the response to the continent’s climate adaptation needs over the years has been very weak with limited and or insufficient finances for the continent’s adaptation priorities, according to experts.
The Yaounde conference which is in line with the with pillar four of the AAI whose goal is to increase access to funding and mobilise additional support to enable the implementation of adaptation actions and approaches to address loss and damage is in prelude to COP28 which opens in the United Arab Emirates later this month.
The young African leaders are also expected to produce a common youth position on adaptation finance on the continent to be submitted to world leaders at the Dubai annual biggest climate change conference.
