Africa Rio+20 Opinion Piece

AFRICAN RIO+20 YOUTH CONFERENCE OPINION PIECE

Nairobi 12^th and 13^th JUNE, 2012

Preamble

We, the youth delegates to the Pan African Youth Conference, Africa +20, at Nairobi, Kenya:

Acknowledging the urgent need to start a transition towards green, fair and people-centered agriculture, that promotes a sustainable food system through the production of sufficient, healthy and balanced food for all humanity while maintaining or enhancing ecosystems, biodiversity and natural resources;

Committing to the promotion of innovations that will lead to and sustain a green economy;

Taking note that the sanctity of life of future generations depends solely on our actions and commitment towards sustainable development;

Recognizing that our governments have a moral and political responsibility to steer our collective national policies and legislation along the sustainable development path;

Commit to:

1. Adopting Sustainable livelihood patterns that will promote saving of energy
2. Finding solutions to the problem of youth unemployment through innovation in eco business thus facilitating the creation of green jobs.
3. Participation in policy processes that incorporate the “going green” concept
4. Peer capacity building and awareness creation on the effects of climate change and adaptation mechanisms that will ensure that the regions realizes a green economy in the face of changing climate conditions.
5. Enhancing partnership among all the stakeholders that will see the up calling of medium and small scale business initiatives.

Demand that our governments collectively commit themselves to supporting;

1. The reduction of youth unemployment through the creation of green jobs.
2. The Progressive reform of education systems and curricula to enhance the knowledge and skills necessary for Sustainable Development.

3. Strengthening local, national and regional institutional, legal and policy frameworks for Sustainable Development driven towards sustaining a blue economy and availability of clean water for all.
4. Improve transport infrastructure in the region to facilitate movement of agricultural produce to towns and urban centers.
5. Formulate policies and strategies that promote access to clean forms of energy for all
6. Promote and implement effective water harvesting and recycling mechanisms that will in turn facilitate optimal agricultural yield.
7. Support and encourage eco-focused business initiatives and innovations that will ensure that the concept and goal of a Green Economy is realized regionally.

Conclusion

Although Africa has progressed in integrating the pillars of Sustainable Development (Economic, Social and Environmental growth), a number of weaknesses and challenges still remain and must be addressed. The key challenges relate to decreasing financial resources to foster Sustainable Development, in view of a weak private sector and limited public sector resources, yet the transition to a green economy requires additional resources, new technologies, human and financial resources.

We, as young people, are cognizant of the fact that;

1. Green Economy is a welcome development that the continent is willing and ready to embrace in the context of attaining our needs while embracing ecological conservation.

2. The development should however, NOT be used as a justification for new barriers to trade, aid or access to finance.

3. Institutional mechanisms to monitor and ensure integration of the three pillars of Sustainable Development in an integrated and balanced manner need to be established and where they exist strengthened and positioned where they will have the muscle to influence policy and decision making;

4. The future of humanity through the rest of the 21st century depends upon an integrated and sustainable intensification of agricultural production to deliver consistent food, nutrition and energy at the national and continental level and addresses and overcomes the negative effects of land degradation, loss of biological diversity, water scarcity and the effects of climate change.

5. Youth are partners, assets and a prerequisite for Sustainable Development in Africa with a unique contribution to make to the present and future generations and are a great potential in driving Sustainable Development in Africa.

This is what we declare and recommend to our governments as well as the private sector and civil society, to undertake ahead of Rio+20 and beyond. Any action to be taken affects us and future generations. We care about our planet and we will all work together in creating a more sustainable era.

Posted by: Kennedy Liti Mbeva

The Price for Illetracy

The wraths of Climate change affect both those who well understand what this phenomenon is and those who do not.  During the Millennium summit when 189 countries signed the Millennium development goals (MDG) in Newyork, 2000, there was a growing understanding that poverty, development and climate change are intertwined. Efforts for economic and social development have been largely successful but have been countered by natural disasters such as famine, hurricanes and tsunamis all related to climate change. There was a resolve to increase understanding of these problems, their causes and also to improve chances of innovation for adaptation. The second of the seven MDG’s is to achieve universal primary school education by 2015. That is a short three years from now and it would be inaccurate to report this as having been achieved in many parts of the world.

The adage that innocence dwells from wisdom and never with ignorance, or ignorance is bliss might as well have been demolished when they tore up the walls of Berlin. In the hills of Iveti Location in Eastern Kenya, where electricity, internet and smart phones are as peculiar as a crown on a bull’s head, we met the innocent face of little Mumo. He is a standard 4 pupil which is equivalent to level 4 in elementary school but knows not of climate change. Mumo is oblivious of the increasing temperatures that force his mother to stay up all night queuing to fetch water or the excess of it from the predicted rains that have hit the area since the visit a month ago due to changing climatic patterns.

  

He probably helps in the farm every year in picking coffee beans during the harvest season but has no idea what happens to it afterwards. Maybe they use coffee to make necklaces, furniture or for making dresses, he does not know.  This is common in his village where although they plant coffee, many have never had the luxury of drinking a cup of processed coffee. They don’t care either since their needs are more basic than that. With just one primary school in this area, Mumo walks seven kilometers everyday to get the free primary education offered by the government. The ratio of teachers to pupil is 1:60 and there has never been a library in the only school in the area.

Coping with illiteracy by 2015 is a goal that will weather with time if these conditions continue as deplorable as they are. Going to school for these children and many in rural Kenya means that they will not be married off early and they will learn new crafts like weaving, modeling and carving that earn their families income. Many have learnt of strategies to protect soil and water by mulching, terracing, building stone gabions and filling up rills with stone to prevent soil erosion. These tactics have enabled their families to feed themselves and have enough surpluses that are sold to earn income. Mumo’s family makes almost $70- $250 per month from the sale of vegetables which enables the father to go to buy books and also cloth the family.

     

90% of all 48 tribes in Kenya practice some form of female genital mutilation (FGM). Some girls have escaped (FGM) by getting educated thus shun these dangerous practices that risk the health of the girls and spread HIV as the same blade is used on all the girls in a particular day without any form of hygiene or sterilization being applied. Many girls have died from this practice and many NGO’s have focused on eliminating this practice.

As 2015 draws near, efforts to improve education will most certainly affect all other MDG’s. Inreased literacy will improve health and sanitation (goal 4, 5 and 6; Reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combat HIV, malaria and other diseases), improve food security and reduce soil degradation and deforestation (goal 1 and 7; Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty and Ensure environmental sustainability), increase the percentage of girls enrolling in primary education (goal 3; Promote gender equality).  In doing all the above, different sectors will be involved both nationally and internationally that will, increase self growth and achieve last goal 8 that seeks to Develop a global partnership for development.

Submitted by Carol Gichobi for Project Survival Media  (PSM)

About PSM: http://youthclimate.org/youngo-roll-call-project-survival-media-337664/