In a letter addressed to Commonwealth Heads of State, the youth campaigners have called for Commonwealth countries to:
Rebuild trust with climate-vulnerable nations by ensuring that there is full delivery of the promised $100 billion annually for climate adaptation.
Ensure that finance reaches local communities on the frontlines of climate change.
Invest in good green jobs for youth.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is in Kigali, Rwanda, from 20 - 25 June 2022. Every two years, Heads of Government of all 54 Commonwealth countries meet to discuss and agree on action on areas of common interest, such as the economy and trade and climate and the environment.
This year's meeting is crucial in the lead-up to what has been dubbed the 'African COP', which will take place later this year in Egypt. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body of the UN regarding climate negotiations. This Commonwealth meeting will be a critical opportunity for developing countries to hone negotiating positions ahead of the subsequent talks in Egypt.
The impact of climate change is already being felt by some of the young climate activists that Renew Our World and Abundant Africa support.
Collins Lungu, 26, from Lusaka, Zambia, heads up the Zambia Youth Environmental Network, a group of young people who are campaigning for climate change and environmental care, protection and justice, he said: “I come from a family of farmers and we used to have good yields, in Zambia you could depend on when the rains would come, but not anymore, the rain patterns have drastically changed.
“We used to have good yields but now the produce is not what it used to be, we used to grow maize and we have an indigenous type of food called mponda, this has become scarce.
“I feel the pain of climate change in my day-to-day life. Coming from a family of farmers I can see how climate finance could help with irrigation systems so we could adapt.
“The weather has become so erratic, even the meteorological station can’t predict what is going to happen. The previous farming season we had floods that destroyed crops in some parts of the country and droughts in other parts.
“People have got to change, we will need to adopt alternative plants resilient to climate change, world leaders need to hear our stories.
“This is a very important opportunity, this meeting brings together heads of state of some of the wealthiest countries and some of the poorest countries most hit by the effects of climate change. I want to be able to tell my story, we need this financing. It's very important I represent young people for my country. My physical presence shows how far I am willing to go and how committed I am to this cause.”
Climate activist Jessica Bwali, from Lusaka in Zambia, added: “Wealthy countries must deliver on climate finance. Growing up, my father was a farmer and today I can confirm experiencing the impacts of climate change first-hand.
“We used to have every type of crop and the rainy season was always on point, we knew when to plant but it's not the same now and because of drastic changes in weather, the prices of commodities are going up each day.
“In Zambia, we rely a lot on agriculture and not everyone can afford to use irrigation on their farms to help crops grow in tougher weather conditions, this is where climate finance could help.
“It has been very hard for communities where they have not been taught about crop diversification because crops keep failing due to climate change. It is important that people learn on this especially those in the frontline who are deep in the rural areas as they are the most affected.”
The movement submitted their calls to CHOGM member Heads of State and Governments, reflecting a keen and ready ability amongst young people to work with leaders to better all Africans and bless the wider world.
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