Youths to hand over Charter on Climate Change this week
By Ugonma Cokey, Durban

Youths from more than 1,180 countries will at the closing event of the Africa Youth for Climate Change Summit, in South Africa, this week, hand over a Youth Charter on Climate Change to South African Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe.

The six-day Summit, which started on Sunday, November 27, was opened by the South African President, Jacob Zuma, and will be addressed by government representatives, the African Union, heads of corporate organizations, local municipal and council representatives, special interest groups such as Conservation Agriculture Academy and various youth development and non-profit organizations.

South Africa’s Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and head of South African delegation for the seventeenth Conference of Parties in Durban, Ms Edna Molewa, said that the “Youth play an important part in the fight against climate change, not only because they will one day inherit the earth, but because they have the power to make a difference today about climate change. One only has to look at our own history as a country to appreciate this.”

The 185 youth between 18 and 35 years attending the Summit, from developing and developed countries will also include A-list celebrities such as Miss Earth: Catherine Constantinides, who like other celebrities present, will be held to account by nominating their support to a particular sustainable green project as part of the Summit theme: “I pledge”.

Molewa described the celebrities as “people who are by nature of their roles, global icons.” She said that having them to pledge their support to a particular sustainable green project in a country and share how they would implement the project over a period of one year, was a great way to get the ball rolling and challenge others, especially youth to do the same.

While addressing the Summit, the Deputy President pointed out that “education plays an important role in adapting to the challenges posed by climate change and mitigation of its effects. It can help to reduce vulnerability of communities and improve their capacity to adapt to uncertain changes in the social, economic and ecological environment.”

Summit Objectives              

Among the objectives of the Summit, whose programme will be directed by a child Master of Ceremony, is the need to equip youth with skills and knowledge to address the challenges faced by their local communities, at a time when the threat of rapidly accelerating desertification is threatening traditional livelihoods of populations in many African countries, where people do not have the means to adapt to such natural disasters.

These objectives are in-line with the Bonn Declaration, the outcome of the 2009 United Nations Environment Program World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Germany, where United Nations Environment Program was tasked with the responsibility to intensify efforts and initiatives to put climate change education higher on the international agenda to address education, training, public awareness and access to information in relation to climate change.

A prize of R500,000 will be awarded to South Africa’s Best Green School Idea. The winner was chosen out of 600 national schools that entered the School Climate Change Challenge.

DNA Communicators of the Year Showcase 2011

Meanwhile, ahead of the COP 17 which opens on Monday, the United Nations Climate Secretariat has recognized the Designated National Authority, at its annual  DNA Communicators of the Year Showcase 2011”on Changing lives.”

The Contest was won by four countries including Cote d’Ivoire. Participating DNA’s were asked to create flyers to entice potential CDM participants to seek more information from their DNA office, prepare a communication/distribution strategy to help ensure that the flyer reaches its intended audience, as well as write a reflection on the flyer project, looking at how it worked in practice.

Entries’ were judged on creativity of design, completeness of distribution plan and thoroughness of the reflection. The other three are Spain, Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

While issuing certificates to the winning countries, the Executive Secretary of the UN Climate change office said the award was also important being the Agency’s first issuance of certificate with its new Logo which also signifies Commitment for Change.

The UNFCCC changed its Logo in October to reflect its new challenges and focus.

UNFCCC’s /Clean Development Mechanism Radio contest winners including Voice of Nigeria’s Assistant Chief News Producer, Ugonma Cokey were also recognized at the meeting.

Williams