The Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) with support from Taproot Earth, has held a pre-COP29 summit at the La Palm Royal Hotel in Accra, Ghana, to sensitize Ghanaian youth to lead Climate Action at COP29 and beyond.

As the world grapples with the issue of environmental pollution, there are urgent calls for effective youth engagement.

The call, according to the Deputy Director of SYND, Mr. Solomon Yamoah, aims to address the adverse climate impacts that have plagued the country and the world.

Deputy Director of SYND, Mr. Yemoah

In an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the summit, he emphasized the need for climate issues to be incorporated into the country’s educational curriculum at all levels, enabling students to understand the urgent need to protect the environment.

The summit was a precursor to the 29th Conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change  scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11th to 22nd November, 2024.

According to him, some global organizations like Taproot Earth for reparations to countries that are suffering the most from climate impacts. They argue that climate justice cannot be achieved without reparations.

He also reiterated that young people should be encouraged to view crop cultivation as a viable alternative to illegal mining (galamsey) rather than as a new employment avenue.

Finally, he emphasized the need to provide youth with knowledge that highlights the long-term opportunities available without destroying the environment for short-term gains.

Road to COP29 Summit: SYND Sensitize Youths to Lead Climate Action

Additionally, the head of the Climate Change Program and Policy, Patience Agyekum, disclosed that there will be a strong focus on finance and adaptation for COP29..

Head of the Climate Change Program and Policy, Patience Agyekum

Climate adaptation involves responding to the increasing changes in climate, including rising temperatures and uncertain rainfall patterns.

There is a conversation on-going to develop specific indicators to measure progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation.

On Finance, countries will be negotiating for the new climate finance goal which is referred to as the New Collective Quantified Goal(NCQG). The African Group of negotiators (AGN) are proposing a quantum of 1.3 trillion with emphasis that this money must be provided to developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the form of grants and not loans. 

She emphasized that one of the focus areas of her organization is tracking the implementation of climate change projects particularly those done with support from Multilateral Development Banks like World Bank and African Development Bank. 

She revealed that her organization assesses projects in various communities to evaluate their impact, underscoring the importance of data availability to compare the work done with the funds allocated.

“We reached the consensus that one of the most important things for young people to focus on is tracking climate finance, specifically developing projects that allow us to monitor how climate finance is being used, particularly in Ghana. “Many of the concerns raised by the youth, especially those who attended the breakout session on finance, is how countries are utilizing funding that is received for climate action and whether or not climate change projects are positively impacting communities who need it the most.”

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