AYICC-GU Presentation Ibrahim Ceesay

8/3/2019 AYICC-GU Presentation Ibrahim Ceesay

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National Stakeholders’ Workshop on

Community Based Adaptation to Climate

Change 24th

-25th

February 2011

Ibrahim Ceesay

Africa Youth Initiative on ClimateChange (AYICC)

www.ayicc.net

[email protected]

http://www.ayicc.net/

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ayicc.net/



African Youth Initiative on Climate

Change (AYICC)• A loose youth network that was conceived in 2006 in

Nairobi Kenya, during the 2ND International Climate

Conference of Youth (COY) held just before the UNFCCC

COP 12. AYICC coordinates youths efforts on climatechange and environmental sustainability with National

Chapters in over 38 African Countries. This initiative has

continued to link, share knowledge, ideas, experiences,

skills and strategies on youth action around Africa onclimate change mitigation and adaptation. It has been

identified by most African youths to have the potential to

provide a platform for them to address their regional

challenges on climate change



Background Information•

Climate change is considered to be one of the mostserious threats to sustainable development, with adverse

impacts expected on the environment, human health,

food security, economic activity, natural resources and

physical Infrastructure.• The impacts of climate change therefore affect our

response to other development agendas in the Gambia

like the Millennium Development Goals, country strategic

plans and vision. Climate change presents significant

threats to the achievement of the Millennium

Development Goals especially those related to

eliminating poverty and hunger and promotingenvironmental sustainabilit .



Recent IPCC findings show that by the year 2050,

developing countries will face a threat of 250, 000

million people without waters, 20 million people will be

displaced(homeless) due to water upraising from theseas, 20 – 30% of the world animal species will go into

extinction due to population explosion and desert

encroachment of the forest. The global temperature will

increase by 4.5% by the year 2050 (IPCC), Gambia has nobetter time than now to begin to plan adaptation to

climate change before this doom befall us in 2050.

Towards the end of the 21st century, projected sea-level

rise will affect low-lying coastal areas with large

populations. The cost of adaptation could amount to at

least 5-10% of GDP. Mangroves are projected to be

further degraded, with additional consequences for

fisheries and tourism

d d

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/pqrs/population-population-group.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/abc/adaptation.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/ghi/gdp-gross-domestic-product.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/mno/mangrove.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/fishery.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/fishery.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/mno/mangrove.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/ghi/gdp-gross-domestic-product.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/abc/adaptation.htm

http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/pqrs/population-population-group.htm



Introduction to Community Based

Adaptation to Climate Change Communities and societies in general have long been

adapting to climate changes, but these adaptations havetypically been discrete and reactive. The idea that

adaptation to climate change should be planned, proactive,

and anticipatory is relatively new and is an important

element of CBA. The focus within the UNFCCC on national-

level adaptation, for example through National Adaptation

Programmes of Action (NAPAs), tends to prioritize national-

level priorities with lesser considerations for community-based ones. The danger is that such national initiatives may

actually harm local or indigenous groups if they do not take

account of local practices.



Community Based Adaptation to Climate

Change

Since climate change affects communities differently

according to their respective vulnerabilities and adaptivecapacities, adaptation must be locally specific and

appropriate to the context.

Top-down management approaches were simply

unsuccessful in addressing the needs of vulnerable

communities. As a result many feel it is important to adopt

a new strategy, which directly involves vulnerable peoplethemselves in planning and implementation of adaptation

measures.



Definition of Community Based Adaptation to

Climate Change

This bottom-up approach has received wide acceptance

because communities are considered the best judges of their own vulnerability and can make the best decisions

regarding their own well-being

CBA to climate change aims to enhance the resilience of

communities and ecosystems to projected effects of

climate change. Reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen

people’s capacity to cope with climate stress. A thoroughassessment of a community’s exposure to climate hazards

and an analysis of their specific vulnerabilities and

capacities is the basis for activities, projects and programs

that can help them adapt.



Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change

• Because a community is involved in the whole process,

their felt and real needs, as well as inherent resources, areconsidered.

• The best CBA projects and activities combine local

knowledge with scientific knowledge. CBA responds to

pressing local adaptation needs, draws upon localknowledge, fosters community-driven innovation, and

supplements community capacity with knowledge and

material resources. CBA allows for experimentation, helps

improve local capacity to adapt, and makes it easier to

identify and to share information about best practices. CBA

projects increase resilience by ensuring that local actors are

aware of why local conditions are changing and what they

are adapting to.



Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change

• Consequently, CBA projects can inform local, regional,

national and global policy..• CBA takes a variety of forms, from ‘mainstreamed’

(integrated into existing or planned development projects)

to ‘direct’ (developing local projects aimed at addressing

discrete adaptation needs). Despite variations of form, allCBA recognizes the need for context-specific adaptation

projects that identify local vulnerabilities, draw upon local

knowledge and capacity, improve local adaptive capacity,

and directly involve local stakeholders.

• CBA is thus a promising approach to considering gender

and ensuring that both men and women are able to adapt

to a changing climate.



Why are African Youths Key in Climate

Actions (Adaptation and Mitigation)

• Article 11 of the African Youth Charter

guarantees the right of youth participation in all

major issues on the continent.

• Africa has a youthful population and youths are

the power house of every African nation

•

The importance of engaging the next generationof decision makers those who will feel the brunt

of the negative impacts of climate change has

been widely agreed upon.



Youths bring along potentials for

change through innovation, differed

approaches and lots of energy

through their participating in policy

making and implementation bycreating new types of practicable and

real solutions to their everyday

problems including those caused byclimate change.



• Youth and future generations

will inherit the climate system in

whichever way governments

decide to leave it

• The fight against catastrophic

climate change can succeed only

if it forges a permanent LINKwith social-justice campaigns



Role of Youths in Adaptation

• Engaging young people in actions to address

climate change is a critical element to any

nation's strategy and a significant contribution to

sustainable development for years to come

• Youth are an important source of creativity,

enthusiasm and drive for any actions to address

climate change



Youth Climate Actions

• Holistic and intergenerational approaches tofight climate change seem to be one of the

viable options if we are to realize our

developmental goals, the role of youth neednot to be over-emphasized. The official

recognition of the UNFCCC Youth Constituency

YOUNGO is key in amplifying youth

participation in UNFCCC processes and

building a robust International Youth Climate

Movement



The Youth Climate Movement In COP15 (Case Study)

• We saw the world’s largest demonstrations on climate change –

100,000 in the streets of Copenhagen on December 12th, 90,000

across Australia on the same day, and 3000 events around theworld. We saw one of the largest petitions in history – 15 million for

a fair, ambitious, and binding global treaty. We saw a spirit of

collaboration amongst NGOs unlike any seen before within the

climate movement.

• 350.org, Avaaz.org, and TckTckTck pulled off three international days

of climate action in the course of three months, with more than

10,000 total events in 181 different countries. Thursday December

17th marked a “Hunger for Survival” global fast for climate

justice where over 10,000 people worldwide gave up food in

solidarity with three people who had consumed nothing but food

and salt for 43 days to call attention to the urgency of climate

action. Despite all but 300 individuals getting kicked out of the Bella

Center for the two day Heads of State Summit, the presence of civilsociet in the ne otiations remained owerful.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/13/813747/-100,000-march-in-Copenhagen-for-climate-action,-media-flubs-headlines

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/12/2769874.htm


http://tcktcktck.org/real-deal


http://www.tcktcktck.org/


http://350.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7dJbmaQyZ0




http://350.org/







http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/13/813747/-100,000-march-in-Copenhagen-for-climate-action,-media-flubs-headlines



G i l d i i l li



• Grassroots, national and international climate

advocacy and campaigns ( 350.org Global Week of

Climate Action in over 88 Countries of the World,

Billion Tree Campaign, Organizing Regional YouthSummits on Climate Change, Conference of Youths

during the UNFCCC meetings of parties, side events,

demonstrations, petitions, open letters, observing

environmental days forums and training workshops).

• Promoting mass information, education and

communication on climate change and how young

people from Africa have been contributing to

reversing the threat of climate change and the

implementation of Article 6 in Africa.



AYICC Best Practices and Climate Actions• Awareness raising, information and using traditional

knowledge as well as strengthening youth’s

networks in mitigation and adaptation efforts (AYICC

Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Malawi, Tanzania, and Cameroon)

• Radio and TV Programmes, Community Outreaches,Waste Management Initiatives, Social Media (Face

book and Twitter) Theatre and Music e.g. (AYICC

Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, Togo, BeninRepublic, Ivory Coast and The Gambia)

• Solar Pots and Cookers Project in AYICC Niger

(reducing the burden of women and young girls

from fetchin firewood's b walkin lon distance



M i T Pl ti C i



Massive Tree Planting Campaigns



The 3C Campaign; Create To Inform,

Communicate To Empower, Celebrate Our

Actions AYICC-KENYA



ECO-GIRLS PROJECT AYICC NIGERIA

AYICC P ti i ti t Th 7TH Af i D l t F



AYICC Participation at The 7TH African Development Forum

October 2010 Theme: Acting on Climate Change for

Sustainable Development in Africa ECA Supported 15 Youths



Challenges Encountered by Youths• Lack of access to information that would empower youth to

understand the decision-making process and substantivelycontribute to policy formation.

• In the development of national strategies for sustainabledevelopment, young people were not included on advisorybodies or in other aspects of the decision-making process.

•Youth engagement continues to be fragmented and sporadicat best. A bit of participation here and there will not serve anyuseful purpose and can be interpreted as involving youth onlyfor the purpose of satisfying a requirement or as a symbolicact without real consequences or recognition of youth aspartners in the development of solutions.

• Youth are often incorporated in the later stages of policy anddecision-making. Often, their work takes place in “parallel events” and is not integrated into official processes.



Challenges Encountered by Youths 2

• There persists an absence of support to projects,

networks, and national youth non-governmental

organizations to involve youth in project

identification, design, implementation andfollow-up on climate change.

• The lack of capacity and resources for youths toengage in climate change adaptation.



Challenges encountered by youths

• Despite the fact that numerous

international youth climate events have

produced excellent recommendations for

progress, there is little evidence that

governments have obtained, acknowledged

and explained how this input from youth

will be used in the development of their

climate policies.

AYICC K U i A i i i 2011 2012



AYICC Key Upcoming Activities 2011-2012

• African Youth Climate Summit- August 2011

• Billion Tree Campaign

• Solar Community Radio Stations- Pilot Project

• TV Documentary on Youth and Climate Change in

Africa

• Green Schools Initiative

• Youths in Disaster Risk Reduction

• Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change

• FULL participation in UNFCCC meetings especially

COP 17 Durban-South Africa and other climate

chan e relate events



Way Forward

•

Government should start developing planthat addresses an enabling environment forparticipation of women and young people atthe local, national regional and internationallevel in decision making on climate changeand activities to implement these decisions.

• Including youths as part of official delegatesto UNFCCC meetings and other climate

change related activities• Provide youths led groups with resources for

climate change adaptation and mitigationinitiatives

FOR OUR FUTURE CLIMATE



FOR OUR FUTURE CLIMATEJUSTICE NOW!

Thank You!!!

AYICC-GU Presentation Ibrahim Ceesay

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