FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA NIGERIAN CHILDREN AND YOUTH MAJOR GROUP POSITION ON RIO+20 IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, JUNE 20-22, 2012. Background The ruthless pursuit of material goods and a desire to outdo one another at new technologies, which can be noticed presently, inevitably bring us closer to a socioecological disaster, because the man and his natural environment lose their importance in this hectic race. In many developed countries, the phenomenon of overproduction exists; the phenomenon of consumption excessive, unnecessary and harmful to the environment. The authorities warn us of the consequences of destroying our natural environment. It is to be a path of ethics prevailing over technology, of a mans importance greater than that of a thing, where the soul is more important than the matter. In order to achieve this, it is necessary for the man to be in harmony with the universe. The man should possess qualities such as morality, responsibility and temperance; progress should not be achieved at the cost of devastating our planet, since the responsibility for the Earth rests upon us. Temperance and self-limitation in possessing goods is a way to sustainable development. Therefore, we the children and youth in Nigeria are calling on our Government to undertake actions to educate and involve children and young people on sustainable development concerns, as well as initiate the process of introducing the new moral order based on global natural environmental protection, so that we are not the only ones who survive, but the future generations as well. Children and Youths commitment to energy for sustainable development have been exemplified in the number of events that have taken place to assemble children and youth worldwide to create an understanding of the problems and an identification of practical solutions. The discussions focused on how the threats of climate change to agriculture, food security, human health, rural development, and land productivity should be addressed within an ethical framework that allows nations to move beyond national interest to consideration of the common good. Children and Youth constitute over 60 percent of the total population of Nigeria and incidentally represent the generation most affected by climate change. Though Climate Change affects everyone, we bear the greatest brunt of its negative impact because it is in

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA our time and our childrens future that the full consequences will be deeply felt. Therefore, the hope to effectively combat the threat posed by climate change and improve environmental sustainability rests squarely on shoulders of the younger generation. We the children and youth major group under the SustainNIGERIA platform, appreciate the United Nations initiative to host the 20th Anniversary Summit known as Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 20-22, 2012. We call upon our government to move quickly to create a National Plan to Sustain Nigeria NOW! So that the younger citizens of our beloved country can be assured a prosperous, poverty-free future. For us, the following emerging issues should be accorded utmost importance and quick but effective response: Green Jobs: We call upon our Government at all levels to: Support and increase youth participation at United Nations Conventions and other local, national and global events for proper youth representation and exposure to global decision making. Mainstream Children and Youth concerns into all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other global issues that threaten our existence and development; Establish the Sustainable Development Fund for young entrepreneurs to have access to financial, technical and material support especially in the areas of mentoring, volunteerism, internship and entrepreneurial development; Create more scholarship and funding opportunities for young people interested in pursuing research and academic work in the field of sustainable development and Green Jobs; Undertake a Technology Needs Assessment (TNA), and press for market development strategies in utilizing Green Jobs.

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA We note the urgent need to recognize child and youth led initiatives aimed to improve the informal sector to generate employment.

Sustainable Development Recalling that There is still limited scientific, sociological and economic information on what steps need to be taken to move the world towards sustainability, thus making education and awareness creation difficult; Underemployment is a major concern, particularly as it relates to the engagement of more young people in the informal sector. More so, the sector is typically characterized by few benefits, low remuneration, poor health and safety standards, no job protection and little security for the future

We therefore call upon our Government and her partners to: expand the economic substructure of our country from oil and gas to more sustainable business practices such as agriculture, tourism and information technology; invest in Renewable Energy, Carbon market and Green Industry to guide Nigerias response to rising unemployment among the youth. We also call on our Government to establish a fully equipped renewable energy resource and development centre in schools and communities where we can be trained to develop renewable energy sources to reduce green house gas emission and create Green Jobs; promote agricultural policies and practices that are eco friendly and sustainable.

Infrastructural Development

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA We appreciate our Governments dedication to fight corruption and welcome the passage of the Freedom of Information Act. We however, desire that more energy and commitment is injected into this campaign. We therefore enjoin our Government to: ensure that the Green Economy National Transition Plan which requires government to publish the full Budget online for both Federal and State Governments is fully implemented to promote accountability and transparency; take into account the eco-friendliness of every critical infrastructural construction in Nigeria to ensure that it conforms with best international practices in environmental impact auditing; involve children and youth in policy decision and implementation of any critical infrastructure because we are the heirs to such facilities and be encouraged to make inputs.

Education: Realizing the importance of Education and its role in promoting sustainable development, we hereby affirm our resolve to work with our Government and partners to; improve the quality of Education in Nigeria through volunteerism, mentoring, and the use of ICT in school and community based education; integrate Green Entrepreneurship into educational curricula while Climate Change and Conservation Clubs should be reintroduced in our Schools; encourage proper monitoring and evaluation in reviewing performance in our education system; mainstream children and youth into educational initiatives developed by Governments and other non-governmental organizations for young people. The importance of for-youth-by-youth education must be recognized by all stakeholders working on education for sustainable development.

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA Encourage the capacity of youth organizations to develop for children and youth by youth formal and non-formal education for sustainability programmes.

Ocean and Coastal Regions: We call upon our Government to: involve children, youth groups and non-government organizations in the advocacy and capacity building for communities that fall within the coastal regions encourage more public private partnership on the protection of marines and ocean life

Disaster Finally, we call upon our Government to: encourage youth volunteering for early warning and emergency response use Recent Information and Communications Technology in early warning and emergency response include Disaster Risk Response mechanisms in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools, most especially in vulnerable cities of Nigeria

Endorsed by Igwe Chikaosoro - Centre for 21st Century Issues/PAPPCC, Lagos state. Oludotun Babayemi - WWF/Earth Hour Nigeria, FCT Olafare Alexander O. - Project Greenflag, Rivers state. Oleka Chioma O. - Neighborhood Environment Watch, Ebonyi state. Abdullahi Tunde Abdulmalik - Forward in Action for Conservation of Indigenous Species and Leadership, Bauchi state.

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

FR ESH & YO U N G B R A IN S D EVELO PMEN T IN ITIATIVE

NIGERIA

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre

Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos Climate Change Centre