The Special Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change at the United Nations, Selwin Hart, has called on youths In Africa to demand a seat at the table where decisions about their future are being made.
Hart advised a roundtable discussion with young delegates and activists from various African countries on the side of the ongoing COP28 in Dubai.
According to him ”The NDCs are about your future and it cannot be left alone to the governments. So you have to demand a seat at the table when your respective countries begin the 2nd revision of the NDCs.”
He called for a more structured pattern in how young people are engaged, saying the United Nations Secretary-General has a youth advisory council on Climate Change.
“It would be good if through the UN each country could also have a youth advisory council to support their government’s climate action plan, he said.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change also committed to having an annual meeting with African youth and a follow-up meeting to finetune requests made, reassess progress, and contribute in ways possible.
By Furera Mohammed
