Empowering Youth for a Greener Future: Insights from the "Youth Empowerment and Climate Resilience" Webinar

Guest Writer | One Billion Trees for Africa

On 28 April, an engaging and solutions-driven webinar, moderated by Mr Tabi Joda, CEO of One Billion Trees for Africa, brought together experts from UN agencies, civil society organisations, and youth beneficiaries to discuss a vital topic: Youth empowerment through green skills development and climate resilience in Africa. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and community-led solutions, equity, and systems change, the dialogue underscored the indispensable role of young people in building a sustainable and secure future for the continent. Participants shared innovative approaches and successful case studies from across the continent, illustrating how green skills can drive economic growth while preserving the environment.

Key Themes and Insights

1. Why Youth Empowerment Matters for Climate Resilience

Dr Galine, Climate Change Officer at UNICEF, opened the session by outlining the interconnections between climate change, peace, and security in West and Central Africa. Key points included:

• Youth are disproportionately affected by both climate shocks and conflict;

• If properly supported, youth can serve as agents of resilience and transformation;

• Education systems must become climate-smart, integrating sustainability into curricula and ensuring youth participation in adaptation planning;

• Regional knowledge exchange among youth innovators is vital for scaling successful models and fostering collaboration.

Empowering young people is not a secondary objective - it is a strategic necessity for sustainable peace, economic growth, and ecological stability in Africa.

2. Unlocking Economic Opportunities through Carbon Markets and Climate Finance

A central insight from the webinar was the transformative economic potential of climate and carbon finance - if made equitable. Janine Campling of GUD discussed the economic potential of carbon markets, estimating that a 10,000-hectare project could generate up to $3.6 million annually.

However, she highlighted critical issues:

• Local communities are often unaware of the full market value of these projects and may be subject to exploitative arrangements;

• A more just model would involve a 50/50 revenue-sharing mechanism between communities and project developers;

• Demystifying carbon markets for local actors through education, transparency and awareness-raising, especially for youth, are key to ensuring transparency and fairness in carbon finance;

• Equipping young people with knowledge about carbon markets can improve deal-making outcomes for communities and strengthen accountability.

Speakers emphasised that closing these knowledge and capital gaps could unlock an entire generation of green entrepreneurs, positioning African youth not just as beneficiaries, but as investors, innovators, and custodians of natural capital.

3. UNOCA: Climate Security and Youth Leadership at the Heart of Peacebuilding

Dr Mabaye Dia, Climate Security Advisor at the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) presented that far from being a passive observer, UNOCA is at the forefront of integrating climate considerations into regional diplomacy and security strategies, with youth empowerment placed squarely at the centre of this approach. Dr Dia offered an in-depth overview of how UNOCA is reconfiguring its peacebuilding architecture to address the climate-conflict nexus - a dynamic increasingly relevant in Central Africa, where environmental degradation acts as a stress multiplier in fragile settings.

UNOCA’s strategic initiatives include:

• Transitioning from dialogue to action through pilot projects that directly engage youth;

• Mainstreaming youth perspectives into regional risk assessments and conflict early warning systems;

• Co-developing climate-informed peacebuilding policies with youth networks and community leaders;

• Designing training and capacity-building programmes focused on green skills, governance, and social cohesion;

• Ensuring youth representation in national and regional decision-making spaces on climate and security.

UNOCA’s work represents a shift from viewing youth as a vulnerable group to recognising them as strategic partners in shaping resilient, inclusive peace and climate governance frameworks. This is not just innovation - it is institutional transformation, grounded in both justice and pragmatism.

Youth Success Stories: Transformative Impact from the Ground Up

Real-world testimonies from youth beneficiaries of the Agribusiness and Agrifood Systems Development Programme for Youths in the Sahel brought the policy discourse to life, showcasing what is possible when targeted support meets local ambition.

• Sakina from Niger shared her journey from subsistence poultry farming to running a profitable business with over 300 chickens. With training and a grant from the programme, she now earns millions of CFA francs annually and employs others in her community. Her story exemplifies how youth-led agribusinesses can generate both income and local employment.

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• Maimouna from Mali described how she acquired agro-processing and social media marketing skills through the programme. She is now a trainer herself, actively mentoring other youth and advocating for greater training access in underserved rural areas.

These testimonies reaffirmed the point that supporting one youth can catalyse change for many, particularly when paired with financial inclusion, digital tools, and peer-to-peer learning models.

Strategic Way Forward: Collaboration, Policy, and Pilots

The momentum generated by this webinar has catalysed a clear roadmap for future collaboration and policy development.

Key forward actions include:

• Plans are underway for a follow-up webinar featuring youth beneficiaries from various countries.

• Discussions are ongoing between One Billion Trees for Nature, UNOCA, UNICEF, and GUD Malta to identify concrete collaboration opportunities.

• It will be crucial to develop policy recommendations focused on equitable carbon markets and climate finance.

• Additionally, creating mechanisms to improve youth access to vital information and micro-financing is essential.

  
  

The proposal to explore pilot projects that integrate climate action, peacebuilding, and youth empowerment demonstrates our dedication to cultivating innovative solutions that address the needs of communities throughout Africa.

Conclusion: Investing in the Future through Today’s Youth

This webinar reaffirmed that Africa’s youth are not waiting to be empowered - they are already leading. With the right support systems - equitable finance, practical training, institutional inclusion - they have the capacity to drive climate solutions, strengthen economies, and reinforce peace from the ground up.

As was echoed throughout the session: “If Africa is the future, then investing in its youth is the most strategic climate solution we have.”