Dr Ibrahim Choji, Chairman Board of Trustees, Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet), has called for youths inclusion in the activities of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for effective implementation.
Choji said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday in Abuja,
According to him, NDCs was one of the key tools for measuring what each country was doing in addressing the climate change issues.
He said that the population of the youth should be about 50 per cent, adding that they have not been effectively engaged on their expected roles in ensuring the successful implementation of the NDCs.
“It is pertinent to discuss about youth participation and inclusiveness on the NDCs, as well as using them as key stakeholders of NDCs implementation in the country.
“The full and meaningful participation of youth in all activities, processes and platforms for climate action is very necessary.
“The youth need to understand the approach, concerning the well being and equity of current and future generations.
“The youth are the ones who will most likely face difficult living conditions in a changing climate such as drought, flooding and food security.
“But they are not historically responsible for those conditions.
“It is very important we examine actionable things so as not to see inputs by youth continuously ignored as it is often the case,’’ he said.
Choji said that recently, CSDevNet had a national youth discussion on Nigeria youth inclusion and the implementation of the NDCs.
He said that the organisation collaborated with the National Civil Society Framework on Paris Agreement, (NCSFPAS), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) for the discussion.
He added that the discussion was organised to galvanise and harvest ideas on what the youth can do to tackle the impacts of climate change across the country.
The chairman explained that the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 marked a new chapter for international cooperation on climate.
He added that the Federal Government agreed to develop country-specific NDCs which are national climate plans to highlight climate actions, climate related targets, priorities, policies and measures.
“These climate actions are to be implemented by the government in response to climate change.
“Other concerns covered by the NDCs include gender equality and a just transition for those whose jobs or livelihoods are threatened by ambitious climate policies and protection of human rights.
Choji noted that a survey revealed that about six out of 10 young people in Nigeria do not know much about climate change issues as well as it activities.
He said that there was need for an effective awareness and mobilisation at the local communities, adding that such would help to educate people about the effect of climate change.
He added that the youths are the major contributors in mitigating the impacts associated with climate change.
He added that the youths need to embark on an organised advocacy to break the existing knowledge gap.
Choji, however, urged the youth to always be at the forefront of actions and innovations on climate change activities.
He said that the efforts would be put in place for the youth to make inputs to enable implement the NDCs.
