* Young people are the future of every country—Catholic University Vice-Chancellor, Associate Prof. Ngeyi Kanyongolo
* So we need to encourage them always to be participating in climate change management
* Because they are also the most impacted group which becomes vulnerable in climate disasters period
By Victor Singano Jnr
Youth in the country have been encouraged to be in the forefront in implementing the global environment measures that can help to fight against the current challenges of climate change the country is experiencing.
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Catholic University Vice-Chancellor, Associate Prof. Ngeyi Kanyongolo made the remarks during a day-long Children & Youth Regional Climate Justice Mentorship and COP28 Feedback Session — which was held at Catholic University (CU) in Nguludi, Chiradzulu.
It was aimed at equipping the students to take part in managing disasters caused by climate change as well as understand the climate justice issues.
Kanyongolo added that currently the government is making good strides in puting measures in as far as managing climate change and post disaster management and recovering through advocacy and other means shared to both the youth and the communities.
“Young people are the future of every country, so we need to encourage them always to be participating in climate change management because they are also the most impacted group which becomes vulnerable in climate disasters period.
“It is important to have an intergenerational understanding of climate justice because what will happen to day might not only affect people right now but also the future generation so young people need to be part of the solution,” Kanyongolo said.
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It was organised by National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC), whose national coordinator, Dominic Nyasulu said the major objective of the mentorship sessions — which was under the campaign ‘My Climate, My Action Campaign & Event Objectives — was among other things aimed at reflecting on COP28 outcomes and how they take some of the issues while they are planning for the next COP29 program which will begin this year.
He said the organization engages young people to participate in decision making, create a platform for them to speak themselves and see how they can address some of the challenges being faced and bring up proper means that can be applied in mitigating the problems.
“Most Malawians are not aware of the policies that are there to manage climate change challenges,” Nyasulu said. “So, it is high time for the government to start putting budgetary allocation to climate change programs in order to help the communities as well as children and youth in resilience building.”
A report by USAID Malawi highlights that the vast majority of Malawians rely on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture, making them highly dependent on weather patterns.
“Climate change increasingly exacerbates droughts, flooding, and inconsistent rainfall—contributing to food insecurity and threatening to derail progress toward Malawi’s goal of self-reliance.
“Cyclones, floods, and droughts have long been a constant occurrence across Malawi’s landscape. In recent years, however, climate change, natural resource depletion, and a rapidly growing population have intensified the impact of these events, leading to catastrophic results.
“Since 2019, tropical cyclones have killed more than 1,000 Malawians and destroyed countless homes and crops. At the same time, droughts have reduced food production and threatened biodiversity and livelihoods in Malawi’s lakes and rivers.
“Flooding in 2023 contributed to Malawi’s largest cholera outbreak on record, which killed more than 1,700 Malawians.”
USAID further says it plays a critical role in providing life-saving assistance in the immediate aftermath of disasters, as well as helping them adapt to changing weather patterns and build resilience to future climate events.
“USAID supports Malawians to adopt climate-smart technologies and practices—including improved seed systems, climate-smart irrigation, renewable energy, and improved natural resource management.
“USAID also partners with the Government of Malawi to accelerate transition to renewable energy and promote enabling policies for market-led, climate-smart solutions.”
On Government’s climate priorities, USAID indicates that Malawi is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and it is “committed to taking urgent action to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change”.
“The country has several strategies that articulate the country’s climate priorities, including MM2063, which highlights environmental sustainability as one of the cross-cutting enablers required to achieve a more wealthy and self-reliant nation.
“Malawi has a National Climate Change Management Policy which was adopted in 2016 and provides strategic direction on integrating climate change into development planning through adaptation, mitigation, technology development and transfer, and climate finance. “In 2021, Malawi developed a National Adaptation Plan Framework to align efforts to address climate change, with a goal of reducing the vulnerability of Malawians, ecosystems, and socio-economic development to the effects of climate change through adaptation and mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building.
“Malawi’s NDC commits to a combined unconditional and conditional contribution of 51% reduction in GHG emissions by 2040 and 10 strategic adaptation actions across three pillars — (i) institutional framework, (ii) knowledge, technology and financing and (iii) resilience of the most vulnerable.”—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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