Youth climate advocates in Ghana are pushing governments and development partners to move beyond climate commitments and create practical opportunities for young people to design, finance and implement climate solutions.
The advocates say young people must be given a stronger voice in climate policymaking, arguing that their participation should go beyond invitations to conferences and public events.
Speaking during the 2026 Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Ghana, held online over the weekend, Executive Coordinator of the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), Chibbeze Ezekiel, said the growing climate crisis required young people to be positioned at the centre of the response.
According to him, the approach to youth participation must change from symbolic inclusion to meaningful involvement in policy development and implementation.
He said although international climate frameworks, African policies and Ghana’s national youth policy recognise the importance of youth participation, implementation remained inconsistent.
Mr Chibbeze urged authorities to create platforms where young people could contribute directly to policy through position papers, policy briefs and concrete implementation proposals.
He stressed that young people should not merely be audiences at climate events but should have the opportunity to influence decisions and lead solutions.
Young innovators demonstrate potential
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mckingtorch Africa, Makafui Awuku, pointed to existing youth-led initiatives as evidence that young people already possess the capacity to develop practical responses to environmental challenges.
He cited his organisation’s work in sustainable development, including the production of more than 500 school desks within the past year, the development of a tourism space using 1.6 million recycled plastic bags and the creation of what he described as Africa’s first plastic waste bar shelter in Accra.
The organisation has also trained head porters, popularly known as Kayayei, to move from street vending into circular economy businesses.
According to Mr Awuku, some of the beneficiaries have subsequently gained admission to university to further develop their knowledge of environmental innovation and improve their economic prospects.
He therefore called for greater institutional support for young innovators working to address environmental problems in their communities.
Call for home-grown climate solutions
Mr Awuku also cautioned against relying heavily on solutions developed outside Africa without adapting them to local realities.
He argued that climate interventions imported from Europe, the United States or Asia could fail when applied in African communities without appropriate modification.
He said locally developed solutions were essential to building sustainable communities and addressing challenges such as urban flooding and plastic pollution.
Transport identified as climate priority
Grants Lead at the African Sustainability Lab, Ephraim Niyajumoku Danso, meanwhile, identified transportation as an area that deserved greater attention in Africa’s climate discussions.
He described transport as the “connective tissue” linking economic and social activities and called for climate policies that put people at the centre.
Mr Danso said such an approach would give young people and women the necessary space to innovate within existing systems.
He further observed that while global climate frameworks contain 17 sustainability goals and 169 targets, many of these commitments had yet to translate adequately into tangible action at the community level.
From policy to practice
Mr Danso encouraged young climate advocates to develop strong project pipelines capable of attracting funding and investment.
He said innovation and value addition would be critical in distinguishing climate initiatives with the potential to attract financial support.
The advocates collectively stressed the need for a stronger connection between climate policy, financing and implementation, particularly at the local level.
With COP32 approaching, they said the focus should increasingly shift towards turning climate commitments into practical interventions, while ensuring that young people are given the resources and decision-making space required to lead that transformation.
