How we are empowering and upskilling young people to lead on climate adaptation

Today is #WorldYouthSkillsDay. This year's theme is skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future.

In this edition of the Adaptation Update, we are highlighting stories about how we are empowering young people to make the case for adaptation on the global stage and make their communities more climate resilient. And because information and knowledge are key to driving the adaptation agenda, we are sharing educational resources tailored to young people, as well as educators and teachers seeking to build the capacity of future generations to adapt.

Scaling up innovation for climate action

The African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT Challenge) is an annual competition and accelerator program for youth-led enterprises jointly organized by the Global Center on Adaptation , African Development Bank Group and Climate Investment Funds as part of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program #AAAP.

• KivuGreen’s AI-powered mobile service gives small-scale farmers access to real-time agricultural forecasts, advice, and climate-smart crop calendars. CEO Chris Ayale shares how the mentoring he received deepened his understanding of climate adaptation and inspired him to come up with new digital solutions.
• Global Farms and Trading Company helps farmers adopt climate-resilient farming and conservation agricultural techniques. Co-founders Suleman Saamani Elisha Mahama and Tahiru Jamila reveals how the grant funding allowed them to extend their skills development and training to 1,500 smallholder farmers.
• Bleaglee Waste Management helps communities decrease flood risk by using drones to detect waste clogging drainage channels and working with youth groups to collect waste. CEO Juveline Ngum shares how the mentorship program further developed her leadership skills and exposed her to new and innovative approaches.

Read more stories about YouthADAPT Challenge winners

Delivering adaptation education and capacity-building

• We will soon be launching a call for partnerships to help us reach as many young people as possible through our soon-to-be-launched Toolkit for Youth on Adaptation & Leadership. The toolkit developed with the CARE Climate Justice aims to equip young people aged 15-35 with the knowledge and skills to engage in climate adaptation, policy, advocacy and action. Watch this space for more information and contact [email protected] with any questions.
• These factsheets, tailored to a youth audience, present topics from GCA’s flagship State and Trends in Adaptation reports, including gender, locally led adaptation, and water resource management
• Case Studies on Adaptation and Climate Resilience in Schools and Educational Settings documents 15 innovative ideas and actions adopted and implemented by educational institutes in Africa, and across the globe. This knowledge product provides examples of adaptation and climate resilience in schools, offers insights to schools based in Africa, and amplifies real-life climate adaptation actions.

Did you know?

Africa’s large and growing young population, estimated at over 1.4 billion in 2022 is one of the continent’s most valuable assets for growth. The median age in Africa today is 18.7.

Thank you for reading!

Interested in learning more about climate adaptation? Find out more at?https://gca.org/