At the sunset of 2024, the African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA), in close collaboration with UNDP, UNFPA, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, took a bold step in advancing youth participation in climate action. Through a strategic initiative focused on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), ACHCGA contributed to a transformative workshop held in the Lake Victoria region for youth climate leaders. Additionally, ACHCGA highlighted the youth and children-specific targets for Kenya’s new Nationally Determined Contribution and Loss and Damage Fund.
The workshop served as a platform for knowledge exchange, solution-oriented discussions, and capacity-building in climate action planning.
Speaking during the NDC review session in Kisumu, James Thonjo, Senior Government Official from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said, “The workshop reinforced the critical role that young people, including myself, play in advancing climate solutions. The connections I made and the skills I acquired will serve as catalysts for more collaborative and effective youth-led climate action.”
James insisted that, “Including youth and partners such as ACHCGA is critical to have diversity.”
He also stated, “It is great that ACHCGA advocated to have health as one of the priorities in the NDC.”
Accordingly, Brian Mounde, a Senior Climate Change Officer from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, stated, “Youth engagement on NDCs is critical because it ensures the government fulfills the targets of the NCCAP.”
Mounde also stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry remains committed to strengthening youth participation in climate action to ensure inclusive and effective policy implementation. “I connected with like-minded young climate leaders from youth-led institutions like ACHCGA and I hope that the youth have invaluable insights into climate change policy frameworks.”
Additionally, Rosebell Barbara from ACHCGA said, “Attending the Youth Climate Finance and NDC 2.0 Engagement Workshop was an incredible opportunity. I connected with like-minded young climate leaders, gained invaluable insights into climate finance, and developed practical skills to design bankable proposals for climate projects.”
The NDC review workshop in Kenya was timely because it served as a platform for knowledge exchange, solution-oriented discussions, and capacity-building in climate action planning. It also underscored the power of youth-driven innovation, with participants presenting groundbreaking local solutions, including:
- Biochar for Carbon Offsets: Exploring biochar’s potential to sequester carbon while improving soil health.
- Hyacinth-Based Charcoal Briquettes: Addressing environmental degradation by transforming invasive water hyacinth into a sustainable energy source.
- Waste-to-Product Innovations: Applying circular economy principles to create eco-friendly products from waste materials.
Beyond these innovations, the workshop provided participants with a deep understanding of critical climate finance concepts, including:
- The Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
- Carbon Markets and Trading Mechanisms
- Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) Priorities
- The Role of the Private Sector in Climate Finance
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s unwavering commitment to empowering young climate leaders and support from UNFPA, UNICEF, and UNDP made meaningful youth engagement in NDCs possible. This collaboration ensures that youth are not just beneficiaries of climate policies but active contributors to shaping a sustainable and resilient future.
