By Kefiloe Kajane
The Lesotho youth are yearning to be involved in decision-making in efforts to fight rampaging climate change.
This emerged after Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro’s address to the recent Climate Change Summit in Glasgow, Scotland.
During the COP26 Summit, Majoro said sustainability of climate friendly actions in developing countries was dependent on the literacy of future generations. He was emphatic that the youth should be sensitized on climate change issues as they are “the future” of the country,
Majoro’s averments triggered comment from the climate change coordinator, Lekhooa Letsatsi, said the youth had initially met Majoro ahead of his attending the Summit. He said the meeting was aimed at finding out youth concerns about climate change and the challenges they faced to deal with climate change effects.
He suggested that their engagement with Majoro was a thread of hope for them to be included in decision-making processes about climate change.
Letsatsi argued that the youth who are knowledgeable about climate change are sidelined from participation in decision-making processes on climate change. He suggested that there was still much to be done to educate some youth about the climate change and its effects.
“The Climate Change Youth dialogue that we recently held last month helped a lot because we invited different stakeholders such as community leaders, farmers, government officials and development partners. It was an attempt to educate participants about climate change. We were able to shed light on the issue and we believe that dialogues like that are needed.
“We still have a long way to go. Communities should be fully educated about the effects of climate change. They are to be involved in policy designs aimed at fighting the global phenomenon,” he said.
“Here in Lesotho the youth are still taken or perceived as some strangers in their own country due to their being sidelined when decisions are made. I wonder if the country has very solid strategies to fight climate change. The youth are interested in being participants in the efforts to combat climate change,” Letsatsi thought.
In his address, Majoro had said the youth would inherit the climate of the future for which today’s decisions are determined. He strongly called for the youth to be highly equipped with strategies for adaptation and mitigation on climate change.
“Sustainability of climate friendly actions in developing countries will depend on the literacy of future generations on climate change. Strengthening scientific knowledge in a manner that informs climate services and supports decision making is necessary for Lesotho. Research centres should be strengthened and supported financially, technologically and technically. Provision of up scaled predictable financial resources by developed countries is key to Lesotho and the sustainability of adaptation actions.
“Technology and capacity building support for adaptation actions at national and local levels in Lesotho is needed. Also the adaptation modalities, procedures and guidelines need to comprehensively include measures to address the social impacts of climate change. The financial commitments made so far will fall short of what the world needs to save itself from climate warming,” said.
Last month, the United Nation Conference of Youth (COY16) held a first ever Lesotho Climate Change Youth Dialogue to educate young people about the importance of fighting climate change.
