International Youth Day 2023

Theme: Green Skills for youth

HEY Campaign - Africa (#WeAreHEY)

Green Skills for a Greener Future: How Youth Can Lead the Way

Every year, the 12th of August marks the United Nations International Youth Day, which is dedicated to celebrating the collective efforts of youths who are working tirelessly across various fields to achieve global sustainable development goals, making the world a better place, and empowering them to continuously break barriers in achieving a just, equitable, and sustainable world, free from poverty, pollution, climate change, and other social problems. In today's rapidly evolving world, the role of youth is both indispensable and transformative, particularly in the context of driving sustainable development. As the torchbearers of the future, youth hold within them the power to reshape norms, challenge conventions, and pioneer innovative solutions that will shape the trajectory of our planet. Their enthusiasm, dynamism, and fresh perspectives are essential for addressing the complex challenges facing humanity. They are agents of change and catalysts of innovation. By recognizing their significance, valuing their perspectives, and empowering their endeavors, we can collectively harness their energy to create a world where progress is defined by its positive impact on people and the planet.

The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is “Green Skills for Youth: Toward a Sustainable Future”. More than ever, transitioning to a green lifestyle requires undivided efforts from the government and the private sector because of the deteriorating impact of climate change, which evidently threatens the present and future of youth. Research by Siegfried  et al. (1989, 2005) showed that ‘Africa is immensely rich in biodiversity and contains an estimate of one-fifth of all known species of mammals, birds, and plants, as well as one-sixth of herpes. The rich African ecosystem provides multi sectoral benefits required to meet human needs and sustain livelihoods for present and future generations.  However, climate change and other anthropogenic activities are threatening the sustainability of the ecosystem.  Hence, a rapid transition to green practices, fueled by green skills, becomes crucial to the conservation and protection of ecosystems and their services. To mitigate the impact, there is a need for holistic adoption and investment in nature-based solutions such as green jobs, as well as building the capacity of youth with green skills to be resourceful and lead meaningful changes in their various fields towards reaching net-zero transition.

UNESCO defines green skills as both technical knowledge and skills that enable professionals to effectively use green technologies, processes, and skills, as well as knowledge, values, and attitudes that help them make pro-environmental decisions in their work and lives.

Green skills encompass a wide range of competencies and knowledge areas that support environmentally sustainable practices. These skills include, but are not limited to, renewable energy technologies, waste management, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem conservation, green building, and sustainable transportation. By developing green skills, youths become equipped to contribute effectively to sustainable development and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Importance of Green Skills For Youth

Research showed that 62% of the Sub-Saharan population is youth under the age of 25. Also, every year, 10–12 million youths enter the job market, but only 3 million formal jobs are created annually. With the world facing significant environmental challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and loss of biodiversity, equipping young people with green skills enables them to actively participate in finding solutions to these challenges, making a positive impact on the planet's future. However, young people are often ill-equipped to take advantage of this opportunity. PLAN International notes that young people do not feel confident enough to participate in the green economy due to a lack of preparedness and the absence of green skills, which serve as a critical fuel for addressing the existing climate crisis and advancing global sustainability. Their study shows that only one in three young people between the ages of 15 and 30 feels competent enough to possess the green skills needed to tackle climate change issues.  The global transition towards a greener, circular, climate-resilient, and more sustainable environment is gradually pushing industries, including fossil fuel companies, to adopt green practices in their operations. Achieving this green transition requires workers who possess the requisite green skills needed to achieve this objective. Unfortunately, this reality might result in the loss of jobs to youth without green skills. However, there are strong potential frontiers for new green jobs available only to youth with green skills. Globally, it has been estimated that over eight million jobs could be created in renewable energy alone. For youth today, some of the reasons for acquiring green skills include: Some key benefits of green skills are highlighted below:

Environmental Stewardship: Young people hold the key to long-term environmental stewardship. Equipping them with green skills empowers them to take an active role in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices.

Employment Opportunities: As the world shifts towards a greener economy, green jobs are on the rise. By acquiring green skills, youth can enhance their employability and access diverse career opportunities in emerging sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable urban planning, agriculture, and environmental consulting.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Green skills foster innovation and entrepreneurship among young people. By developing creative solutions to environmental challenges, youth can drive sustainable economic growth and initiate positive change within their communities.

In today's world, with increasing global sustainability practices, the acquisition of green skills becomes critical, especially for youth, who represent a major chunk of the population in many countries. The International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Bank, and many UN subsidiary bodies offer free courses on green skills with the goal of boosting the acquisition of green skills by workers and professionals in various sectors to advance more sustainable practices. Acquiring knowledge and skills in critical areas such as renewable energy and solid waste management is a transformative opportunity that paves the way for a sustainable and resilient future. For instance, renewable energy and solid waste management are currently the gold mines yet to be fully tapped. Available data shows that 125 million metric tons per year of municipal solid waste (MSW) were generated in Africa in 2012, of which 81 million metric tons (65%) were from sub-Saharan Africa. This is expected to grow to 244 million metric tons per year by 2025. However, with an average waste collection rate of only 55% (68 million metric tons), nearly half of all MSW generated in Africa remains within our cities and towns, dumped onto sidewalks, open fields, stormwater drains, and rivers. In an era where environmental challenges are at the forefront, expertise in renewable energy technologies and innovative waste management practices not only positions them as agents of change but also ushers in a new era of progress. Interestingly, many youth-led social enterprises are springing up, leveraging green skills and innovative technologies to address many of these environmental challenges. Some of these African youth-led social enterprises that are advancing the acquisition and use of green skills among youth, especially in grassroot communities, include:

Ecocykle, a social enterprise from Nigeria, is empowering children and women in rural slum communities with skills on waste management and recycling, including the production of pavement tiles as well as buildings such as toilets made out of discarded plastic waste. 

Break Free from Plastic Awareness Initiative (BFFPAI), a Nigerian-based social non-profit organization, is empowering women in grassroot and marginalized communities with the green skills of producing clean cooking fuels (biochar) out of discarded agricultural waste, ultimately mitigating deforestation practices and the detrimental effects of diseases associated with cooking and heating firewood. 

Some outstanding African youth are also making deliberate efforts to leverage green skills to become agents of change in their communities, creating meaningful impacts in their countries, creating jobs, enhancing environmental sustainability, and closing the poverty gap. For instance:

Nzambi Matee, a 31-year-old trained engineer who founded the new ways of converting waste into sustainable materials, is currently addressing waste management problems in Kenya and creating jobs for women and youth.

Adejoke Lasisi, a Nigerian fashion designer and environmentalist, is leveraging her green skills to convert plastic waste such as nylon into fashion products and designs while creating jobs and advancing environmental sustainability.

Approaches To Acquiring Green Skills

Green skills are crucial for empowering youth to become informed, responsible, and proactive agents of positive change in a rapidly changing world. They provide the tools needed to address environmental challenges, pursue rewarding careers, and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable society. These skills can be acquired in the following ways:

Education and Training: Educational institutions should integrate sustainability-focused curricula and offer specialized programs in green skills. This would enable young people to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical experience in various green skills. With technological advancements, African youths can also take free online courses on YALI Network, Coursera, Udemy, and FutureLearn, among others, from the comfort of their homes to acquire valuable green skills. 

Vocational Training: Vocational training programs provide hands-on experience and technical expertise in specific green sectors. These programs should be designed to meet the demands of the green job market and equip youth with the skills needed to be highly competitive for new green jobs.

Internships and Apprenticeships: This approach offers valuable opportunities for youth to gain practical experience and develop green skills. Internships with NGOs such as Greenpeace Africa, United Nations subsidiary bodies, The Ashley Lashley Foundation, and Tunza Eco Generation, amongst others, can provide African youth with the opportunity to acquire critical contemporary green skills. 

Case Studies for Green Skills Adoption in Africa

The impact of acquiring green skills cannot be overemphasized. Many African countries have also invested in the adoption of green skills to create green jobs and contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Renewable Energy in Kenya: The Kenyan government has invested in training programs that have enabled thousands of youths to acquire skills in renewable energy installation and maintenance. This initiative has not only created job opportunities but has also aided the country's transition to clean energy sources. According to a report by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, renewable energy resources currently generate over 80% of Kenya's electricity, putting the country of 50 million people well on its way to meeting its goal of transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2030. 

Sustainable Agriculture in Uganda: With nearly 80% of Uganda’s population under the age of 30, Uganda has one of the world's most youthful populations and is grappling with initiatives to engage youth in productive sectors of the economy. Agriculture is considered the most immediate means of catalyzing economic growth and employment for youth. Youth-led agricultural cooperatives in Uganda have been implementing sustainable farming practices, including organic farming, agroforestry, and soil conservation. These initiatives have improved food security, enhanced rural livelihoods, and preserved biodiversity. In the 2021/2022 fiscal year, Agriculture accounted for approximately 24.1% of GDP and 33% of export earnings. Currently, the UBOS estimates that about 70% of Uganda’s working population is employed in agriculture.

Waste Management in South Africa: The 13 winning projects from the Drivers for Change Youth pilot initiative were unveiled on November 26, 2020, at the South African National Biodiversity Institute in Pretoria. Youth-led initiatives in South Africa have focused on waste management and recycling. By establishing recycling enterprises and promoting waste segregation, these initiatives have reduced land filled waste, created jobs, and raised awareness of environmental sustainability.

Challenges of Acquiring Green Skills in Africa 

Despite the vast opportunities and promising potential of green skills as an integral asset for the future of sustainability, there are still some gaps that have hindered many organizations and individuals from adopting green skills. Huge costs associated with acquiring green skills and a lack of capital to start up green businesses were identified as some of the major challenges during a study by PLAN International. Another reason for the gap in acquiring green skills among young people and businesses is a lack of awareness about their importance. Education plays a crucial role in raising awareness about environmental issues and the importance of sustainable practices. Many countries in Africa face challenges in providing widespread access to quality education and training, including green skills education. Without access to education, individuals may lack understanding about the value of green skills and their contribution to a healthier planet. People in remote or rural areas might have limited access to educational institutions offering green skills programs. 

Conclusion

This article explores the importance of green skills for youth, outlines ways in which they can acquire these skills, presents case studies from Africa, and emphasizes the role of young people in leading the way towards a greener tomorrow. From the article, we can affirm that by equipping young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to address environmental challenges, we can create a green workforce that will drive economic growth while preserving our planet for future generations. Let us all work together to empower our youth with green skills and build a brighter, more sustainable future for Africa.

Written by:

Aliyu Sadiq Umar (HEY Focal Point Africa) Chief Editor

Seka Jean Blaise (HEY Ambassador)

Abdulbasit Mikail (HEY Ambassador)

Lawrence Akpoterai (HEY Ambassador)

Dorcas Motunrayo Ajasa (HEY Ambassador)

Natasha Leo Tsheko (HEY Ambassador)