Despite the achievements of the Paris Agreement, increased investments in renewable energy, and heightened global awareness around climate change, a groundswell of climate action has not taken root in the lives of young people across Africa. The socioeconomic and environmental contexts across the continent are radically different, policies and actions of governments often fail to rally citizens, and in general, people living in underserved communities argue there is little they can do to mitigate climate change and protect natural resources in their communities. The effects of climate change directly impact young peoples’ lives: severe droughts challenge food security in South Africa; omnipresent charcoal use in Zambia contributes to pollution, eye disease, and greenhouse emissions; and major floods destroy schools and spread disease in Tanzania. As communities cope with these daily realities, African cities are being targeted by multinational corporations as “hot zones” where consumer growth accelerates at a rapid pace, and where youth are “willing to spend” (McKinsey Report, 2015). The dominant political discourse in most African countries centers around promoting economic growth and expansion of the consumer market to uplift communities, with little reflection on the ways in which these consumption practices contribute to climate change and environmental degradation.
Results/Conclusions
Meanwhile, radio remains the most powerful medium of information across the African continent. In Zambia, it is the most trusted and affordable medium of information. Through giving youth the tools and skills to produce and broadcast radio, 750 youth reporters across 5 African countries, supported by the Children's Radio Foundation and Agents of Change Foundation are mobilizing local communities to map out local climate change and consumption realities and needs, engage in consultation and dialogue, develop messaging and communication strategies, share information and inspiring narratives with audiences, shift perceptions and encourage behavior change, and elevate these local youth experiences to the policy level. In Zambia, one key issue has been strong youth advocacy on conservation of edible wild orchids.