Climate Action Youth Seminar

On 8 June 2023, candidate researchers from the Holistic Climate Change research group attended the Climate Action Youth Seminar 2023, hosted by Ranyaka Community Transformation, a national non-profit organisation (NPO), in partnership with the Nedbank Proud of my Town programme and the City of Tshwane.

Climate change is a global issue that affects everyone, everywhere. Its impact on the environment, economy and society is far-reaching, and inaction is no longer an option. The Climate Action Youth Seminar aims to raise awareness around issues pertaining to climate change and encourage active citizenry among youth.  

Humbelani Thenga, a candidate researcher at the Holistic Climate Change research group, says: “I found the event to be highly engaging and worthwhile. It was great to listen to different organisations raise awareness among youth about what they are doing to address issues pertaining to climate change. One of my highlights was when the youth were challenging the thinking around the possible trade-offs with the climate solutions that are being presented. For instance, questioning the total environmental impact of the electric vehicle during manufacturing and the possibility of these initiatives putting pressure on our electrical grid as we are struggling with load shedding. This just proves that the youth will not just accept any solution without questioning it – they aim to weigh the trade-offs and are more attracted to a balanced approach to climate solutions.”

Notably, other private organisations and NPOs seem to have more tangible or real-world applications that the youth could easily embraced compared to research. However, it was a great balance to have the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) raise awareness about what the organisation’s research can offer, including monitoring carbon dioxide and information on climate scenarios, such as early warnings of heatwaves, floods and rainfall.

“The event was informative. I am sure that the young participants have gathered enough information about tackling climate change, as well as opportunities for funding and training from the panel discussions that I was part of,” says Mavhungu Muthige, candidate researcher within the CSIR Holistic Climate research group.

The outcome of the seminar included the increased mobilisation of social solidarity on climate change issues; the establishment of national, provincial and local climate change campaigns; and the establishment or support of projects combating climate change in Mamelodi.

It is important for young people to understand that they are not only victims of climate change but also valuable contributors to climate action. They are agents of change, entrepreneurs and innovators. Whether through education, science or technology, young people are scaling up their efforts and using their skills to accelerate climate action.