28/02/2023
Speech by Dr. Augustine B Njamnshi , Chair of Political and Technical Affairs of the Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice (PACJA) at the One Forest Youth Forum 2023 on the theme: “youth facing the challenges of the development of forest ecosystems” (Libreville-Gabon/27 – February 28, 2023)
Libreville, February 27, 2023 (Hotel Boulevard)
Mr. Prime Minister of the Gabonese Republic;
Mr. Minister of Youth and Sports;
The Minister of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment of the Republic of Congo (DRC);
Mr. President of the ECCAS Commission;
Mr. Ambassador of France to Gabon;
Mr. UNICEF Representative;
Mr. Director General of the National Pole for the Promotion of Employment (Gabon);
Mr. Director General of Youth;
Representatives of Technical and Financial Partners;
Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of Non-Organizations
Government, the Private Sector and Civil Society;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Dear young people;
It is an honor to stand before you this Monday, February 27, 2023, as Co-Founder and President of Political and Technical Affairs of the Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice (PACJA) as part of the first edition of the One Forest Youth Forum, which has the theme: “youth facing the challenges of the development of forest ecosystems”.
Because this forum follows the spirit of the Convergence plan for sustainable forest management and the involvement of young people on environmental issues that the Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice (PACJA) encourages this initiative, which is held as a prelude to the One Forest Summit, which will bring together African heads of state and French President Emmanuel Macron around issues of preserving and sustainable management of tropical forests.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Dear young people,
Climate change represents the greatest challenge facing humanity in the last three decades. The threat posed by global warming to human societies and ecosystems is growing. The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just confirmed the severity of this threat by specifying that climate change is likely to produce severe and irreversible adverse effects.
Despite the small contribution of the African continent to greenhouse gas emissions (4%), Africans are suffering the negative effects of climate change. Drought, flooding, famine have become their daily lives. To deal with it, African youth are mobilizing to carry out awareness, education and training actions that should reduce the impact of climate change on Africa’s future.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Dear young people,
We are aware of the dynamism of young people in the 21st century and we thought that one of the best ways to deal with environmental and climate issues is without hesitation to involve young people, public decision-makers, all social strata through concrete actions, including training, sharing of experiences, awareness-raising, etc.
It Is with this in mind that the Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice (PACJA) has implemented several initiatives to unite youth around issues related to climate change, sustainable development, sustainable forest management and many others. These include, among others:
The Climate Justice Torch Campaign, which is a PACJA initiative that aims to arouse the interest of the African public and unite various African voices for a common objective:
The Nairobi Summer School for Climate Justice, which educates both passionate stakeholders and young climate activists by giving them more knowledge about climate change and providing them with practical skills to fight for global climate justice;
The Young Digital Activities (YDA) program, which is a program developed by the PACJA that aims to involve young people who are very active on digital technology in awareness via social networks on issues of climate change, sustainable development, etc.
A young person trained or sensitized by his dynamism and ability to understand concepts can be the focal point that will relay information and contribute to a change of mentality at the level of his community.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Dear young people,
One of the issues that also brings us together today is the issue of the sustainable management of tropical forests.
Indeed, industrial logging, large-scale tree extraction in tropical forests is a major cause of forest disappearance. The current devastation of the forests of Africa, Asia, South America and Central America is directly associated with the demand for remote markets, located mainly in industrialized countries, where the wood of a handful of tropical species is sold at a high price.
Contrary to what most governments and forestry companies say, logging does not result in a lasting improvement in local well-being. Impoverishment and social disintegration are the most common consequences of large-scale logging, whose activities are often focused on corruption.
Women and young people are often affected disproportionately, since the forest products they traditionally use and manage disappear with the forest. That is why we advocate economic development based on the sustainable exploitation of renewable resources without harm to the environment and future generations.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Dear young people,
We know that the illicit exploitation and degradation of forests pose serious threats to natural ecosystems, local communities, forest-dependent populations and their representatives who are mainly young people. Young people are suffering from floods caused by the destruction of mangroves, the advance of the sea, the rise of waters, and the destruction of coastal resilience. As you have understood, it is crucial that the adaptation of forest ecosystems is at the heart of our concerns in order to reduce the negative impacts of climate change that would help young people seize green job opportunities with positive impacts. This is why, on behalf of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, I am calling, here and now, for an inclusive African Youth Initiative for Forests and Adaptation. Regarding adaptation, we see that it has always been a priority for Africa, but unfortunately so far it has still not had the attention of the authorities, especially with regard to its funding. However, in 2015, the Paris Agreement created the Global Goal on Adaptation with the aim of conducting collective action on adaptation. This should be the counterpart to the objective of limiting global temperature below 2C to move towards equality with global mitigation ambitions.
At COP26, countries established the two-year Glasgow-Charm el-Sheikh work programme on the Global Objective for Adaptation (GlaSS) to improve and support adaptation action through a country-led process. Given the rapid acceleration of climate hazards in the world, the GGA must be defined as a matter of urgency and must be informed by local climate risks, solutions and limits of adaptation.
This is why we believe that funding for adaptation should come back to Africa, should be doubled as promised in Glasgow and even triple. And by 2025, we want the world’s governments to tell us what will be done to address this major concern.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Dear young people,
I remain convinced that our involvement, each in his field and at our level of responsibility, will allow us to capture all the knowledge to better adapt to climate change and allow young people to face the challenges of the development of forest ecosystems.
The Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice (PACJA) remains willing to work with governments, young people, women, the private sector, society organizations to act together to save our planet.
I wish you all good work, and a very good capitalization of the results that will emanate from it.
Thank you!!!!
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