Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 6

Sustainability2015

Greening the Economy Youth ParticipationA Path Way


towards Sustainable Development
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ny2gs2015@gmail.com,
ny2gs2015secretariat@insatep.com

Background

Prof. Judi Wakhungu, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Authorities; giving Key remarks
during the NY2GS2015 Summit

Held few days after the

adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs) by UN member states in New York, hundreds of Kenyan youths met for
the 2nd National Youth Green Growth Summit (NY2GS2015) held 6th -9th October
2015 at Multimedia University, Nairobi dubbed Youth as Active Partners to Drive
the Green Growth Agenda in Kenya. This event sought to reaffirm youths active
role in transitioning to a green Economy as a path way towards Sustainable
Development in Kenya.

Recognizing the multi-dimensional potential of young intellects in realizing the


sustainable development goals, the National Youth Green Growth Secretariat in
partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Regional
Authorities, Kenya Forest Service, National Environment Trust Fund, Council of
Governors, OECD and Chandaria Foundationconvened the 2nd National Youth
1

Green Growth Summit 2015, with the aim of sensitizing young minds on issues
pertaining to green growth and sustainable development, further building
counties institutional capacities towards implementing the green growth
agenda at county level.

Prospects
There can be little doubt that Kenyas economy is troubled as a result of mans
influence thus contributing to climate change and loss of ecosystems. Capacity
Building will play a major role in moving towards a green economy. The effort
towards actualizing the Green Growth Agenda needs concerted efforts from all
the stakeholders and further development and implementation of policies that
will provide smooth transition to a green Economy. Youth are important
stakeholders in shaping and advancing the national green growth agenda. They
can be actively engaged in raising awareness, running educational programmes,
advocating
technologies

for

policy

and

level

tools,

and

changes,

designing

strengthening

innovative

public

solutions,

participation

for

environmental protection.

On prioritizing and tapping the youths innovation, energy and minds, the need
to impart the information that will trigger realization of opportunities with the
green growth frame work will go a long way in spurring growth and
development in Kenya. Poverty and lack of employment opportunities are the
most urgent realties that face the young people in their daily lives hence we
must move with speed in the implementation of the green growth tools that
will deal with climate change, ecosystem management and local livelihood
support hence reducing poverty.
2

Recommendations
Youths should

adopt the definition of green growth, in the local context, to

refer to a shift towards a development path that promotes resource efficiency,


sustainable production consumption models and sustainable management of
natural resources, social inclusion, resilience, and sustainable infrastructure
development.

To

address the need for renewable energy, resource-efficiency, cleaner

production, wise use, pollution control and waste management, leadership and
governance, and restoration of degraded ecosystems, youths should undertake
to promote policies and programmes supportive of a green growth.

Cognizant

of the challenges facing the world today, youths should be

committed to initiating and supporting strategies geared towards a transition


to a green economy in line with the outcome of the United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) held in September 2015 with
employment being a priority.

Youths

should seek to mobilize their peers and colleagues, through County

Green Growth Seminars, and sharing through inter-youth fora to reduce the
already inevitable impacts of unsustainable growth. Action towards sustainable
growth falls directly on young peoples shoulders. Youths cannot take a pew
and anticipate that the problems will one day cease to exist. Its a fact that
problems will persist. They must not wait any longer.

Since

youths on their own, cannot fix sustainability demands, they should

aspire to jointly assume personal and collaborative leadership responsibility in


ensuring that actions by County and national governments do not exacerbate
the already worsening situation but support the means to fight back in own
backyards.

The

success of the National Green Economy Strategy depends on young

people. They must therefore affirm their contribution to the Constitutional


requirement for a clean and healthy environment as a basic human right and
provision

for

sustainable

exploitation,

utilization,

management

and

conservation of the environment and natural resources is for us to embrace and


protect.

Importantly, there is a need to ensure that youth empowerment programmes


designed to help youths transition to a green economy is consistent with the
youth development priorities and as envisioned in the National Youth Policy.
Green growth provides an avenue for functional interaction between
governance and economy with youths as active partners in development
agenda.

Lastly,

youths should then strive to acquire requisite knowledge and skills

needed to promote green growth through innovations that enhance


sustainable lifestyles, human rights, equality, equity, peace, co-existence and
diversity. Then, they should engage in activities that promote green growth
through capacity building, sharing of experiences, creating partnerships and
networking.
4

Way forward,
Going

forward, young people should envisage to: 1) Embrace common

definitions, understanding and approach to youth led green growth initiatives;


2) review available green employment opportunities with focus on wider
strategic terms; 3) pro-actively strengthen working relationship with key
stakeholders- communities, county governments, national government,
development partners and research institutions; 4) build technical, social and
financial capacity on cross-cutting themes related to green growth; and 5) build
on strong networks, collaboration and partnerships to enhance our influence
on green growth strategic decisions.

National Youth Green Growth Secretariat


Convenor, 2nd National Green Growth Summit
Article

LIST OF PARTICIPATING INSTITUTONS


1.

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and

33. Daystar University

Regional Authorities

34. Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)

2.

Ministry of Devolution and Planning

35. Alternatives Kenya

3.

Kenya Youth Network for Sustainable Development

36. Inspiration Kenya

4. Insatep International

37. Kenya Youth Empowerment Programme

5.

Leadership & Sustainability Africa

38. Alpham Fresh farm

6.

The Council of Governors

39. Global Peace Foundation

7.

National Youth Council

40. Raslimali Enterprise Ltd

8.

Kenya Forest Service

41. County Governance Watch

9.

Kenya Metrological Department (MET)

42. ICGLR Civil Society Reps Kenya

10. National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND)

Counties that Participated

11. Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)

1.

Nairobi County

12. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

2. Kiambu County
13. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 3. Narok County
14. United Nations Millennium Campaign Kenya (UNMC)
4. Busia County
15. Stockholm Environment Institute Kenya (SEI)
5. Kisii County
16. Care International in Kenya

6.

Mandera County

17. Chandaria Foundation

7.

Laikipia County

18. World Wide Fund for Nature Kenya (WWF)

8. Turkana County

19. National Environment Management Authority(NEMA)

9.

20. Kenya Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

10. Trans-nzoia County

21. Heinrich Bll Foundation Kenya

11. Bungoma County

22. Kenya Water Towers Agency

12. Lamu County

23. Kenya National Commission for UNESCO

13. Embu County

24. Kenya Climate Innovation Centre

14. Baringo County

25. Kenyatta University

15. Bomet County

26. Mount Kenya University

16. Kilifi County

27. Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU)

17. Kitui County

28. Masinde Muriro University

18. Makueni County

29. Catholic University of Eastern Africa

19. Migori County

30. Brand Kenya Board

20. Siaya County

31. Technical University of Kenya (TUK)

21. Kericho County

32. World Students Community for Sustainable Dev.

Tana-River County

Вам также может понравиться