The positive impact of South African youth on environmental conservation and awareness

As projects and programmes keep developing on a 10% yearly basis in South Africa, it is seen as an emerging leader compared to other parts of Africa to cut carbon emissions and promote environmentally friendly ways of conserving the planet as a whole. It is through these projects that research where meets the young people, who drive change.

BACK STORIES

Alex Lenferna

A Fulbright Mandela Rhodes scholar and South African climate justice campaigner for 350Africa.Org, Alex, has written and researched widely on climate justice advocacy roles within organised labour, student and grassroots climate change justice.

Happy Khambule

A senior political advisor to Greenpeace Africa. He is an official party delegate to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Conversation on Climate Change) and negotiates response measures for South Africa at the international climate change negotiations.

Kerry Sink

From a marine biodiversity scientist to policy practitioner, Kerry is a SANBI marine programme manager and initiated the Southern African sustainable seafood initiative. She was awarded the WWF South African living planet award in 2017 for her contribution to decisive government planning, policy and management in the marine environment as a whole.

Lebo Molefe

The director of Air Quality and Climate Change in the Environment and Infrastructure Department in the City of Johannesburg, Lebo is responsible for the insurance of air quality licensing and permits to industry as prescribed by the national environment management. She is currently working towards completing a climate action plan while driving climate mainstreaming in the City of Johannesburg.

The social and environmental impacts made by the youth.

It is with happiness and excitement to mention and observe the positive impact created by individuals and teams working in trying to make the world a better place.

For instance, the Cape Town drought in 2018 was a bleak illustration of climate change for many, the warning that many parts of Africa are hotspots for climate change became a reality. Clean water flowing out of the tap was seen as a miracle, with that said, once we can see the social and environmental impacts of climate change, we can work to make the necessary changes, but the first step in protecting the environment as with anything in life is understanding what the voices on this list have achieved and what they need to remains to be achieved.

Youth changes

“As we are at the tipping point” said Louis Young, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit its highest level in human history in 2019, around June. The youth managed to change this by the different safe spaces that were created to bring about change and awareness in the environment.

As per our National Constitutional Rights, Section 24 states clearly that “everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being and to have the environment protected through reasonable legislative measures”. We need to ensure our people’s rights are protected and as South Africans, ordinary just like me and you, join them in their effort by supporting their work and just by adding your voice to theirs to make our environment a safe space and create a good impact.

Live green, see green

Sylvia

References:

McNulty, B. (No date). 76 South African voices speaking up for the environment. Treeshake [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.treeshake.com/twig/50-south-african-voices-speaking-up-for-the-environment (Accessed 10/08/2021).

USAID. (2021). Environment: South Africa. USAID [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.usaid.gov/south-africa/environment (Accessed 10/08/2021).