The Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs), has launched a new project aimed at empowering youth-led Civil Society Organizations to drive climate action policies and implementation in Nigeria.
The project themed, ‘Empowering Youth Civil Society to Build Stronger Communities in Nigeria’, is supported by the German Missions in Nigeria and will work with 15 youth organizations across five states – Delta, Enugu, Kaduna, Ondo, and Nasarawa – to build their capacity to advocate for climate action and engage with government policies.
According to the Founder, NGYouthSDGs, Joshua Alade, the project aligned with the group’s mission to resource youth leaders and youth-led organizations to influence policies that enable young Nigerians to lead and thrive.
“We believe that young people have the potentials to be game-changers in the fight against climate change, and we are committed to supporting them to achieve this goal.”
According to him, the project aims at achieving several key objectives, including enhancing the capacity of youth CSOs to advocate for urgent climate action and meaningful engagement with government for ambitious climate policies as well as raising awareness among young people, their peers and the broader community about climate issues and the importance of taking action.
It will also help to create a local climate action network of youth organizations and actors to mobilize local support for implementation of community-based climate solutions; and supporting youth innovations that enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The German Missions in Nigeria has provided essential funding for the project, demonstrating their commitment to supporting youth-led climate action in Nigeria.
“We believe that young people are key stakeholders in the national adaptation process to climate change, and we are proud to support NGYouthSDGs in this important work”, said a representative of the German Missions in Nigeria.
The project will also provide technical support to state governments and other government agencies to ensure effective dialogue and meaningful youth engagement in the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
NGYouthSDGs therefore called on youth organizations leading climate action in Delta, Enugu, Ondo, Kaduna, and Nasarawa States to apply for the project.
“We are excited to support young people who are passionate about climate action and want to make a difference in their communities”, said Opeyemi Ogundeji, Programmes Manager, NGYouthSDGs.
The group held that the launch of the project marked a significant step towards inclusive climate action and sustainable development in Nigeria. As the country continues to focus on environmental sustainability and climate action measures, they maintained that engagement of young people remained vital to achieving resilience and sustainable development.
