Youths discuss climate change issues

YOUNG people from 12 communities in Central are actively involved in helping to address climate change in their areas.
The youths were engaged by ChildFund PNG through the Pacific-American Climate Fund Adaptive Resilient and Productive Agriculture project.
Under this project, ChildFund PNG trains youth to become climate change champions in 12 climate-vulnerable communities in Central.
“Youths are trained and involved in conducting community capacity assessments on climate change adaptation and assisting their villages to develop community action plans to build local capacity in leading adaptation activities,” Grace Leiseta, senior project officer of ChildFund PNG, said.
She thanked USAID for giving ChildFund the opportunity to participate in the regional climate change adaptation symposium and workshop in Fiji recently, saying that she learned so much about the issues affecting other Pacific island countries.
“It was encouraging and inspiring to hear that other countries in the Pacific islands had noted the involvement of youths in addressing climate change as a best practice that could be replicated in their respective projects or countries,” Leiseta said.
“Youths make up about 40 per cent of the population in our project sites, and we want to empower them to be advocates and agents of change in their communities.”