The Youth Conference on Community Based Adaptation (CBA) - 27th-29th April 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya

The youth conference on community based adaptation running parallel to the International CBA 9 conference will be held from 27^th-29^th April 2015. The youth conference is aimed at encouraging young people to be agents of change, particularly in addressing climate change issues in their communities including communicating climate change and disaster risk. The conference will aim at harnessing the knowledge, ideas and capacities of young people in advancing the concept of community based adaptation. In addition, the event will integrate essentials of social entrepreneurship in climate change adaptation into the discussions and look at ways of building long lasting, beneficial and sustainable systems that can benefit young people.

‘‘The future of Africa belongs to its youth. They have the numbers, intellect, creativity and energy to make it better for human well-being and ecosystem health. The African youth cannot afford to be complicit in the destruction of the future. They must exercise their intellect, energy and citizenship in the pursuit of sustainable development and action to combat climate change in Africa’’.  Dr. Cosmas Milton Obote Ochieng, Executive Director, ACTS.

During this conference, climate experts attending the main conference will share their experiences and expertise with the youth, thus expanding their understanding of community based adaptation. The youth conference will feed into the main conference’s recommendations and/or declarations.

The upcoming conference is important as it will feed into the climate change discussion and development of climate change positions at local, national, regional and international level, especially to the 21^st Conference of Parties (COP 21) of the UNFCCC to be held in Paris in 2015. The youth conference accords youth a unique opportunity to contribute to global climate negotiations.

It is hoped that the forum will be a platform for creative, fresh and innovative youth driven ideas that can translate into long-term solutions. Youth will also have a chance to engage with practitioners (experts, policy makers, and end users) who will provide more insight and a more dynamic outlook on CBA and how youth engagement may play its rightful role in shaping debate and action.

ACTS hosts the secretariat and is coordinating the planning of the youth conference.

Overall objective

The main objective is to build and enhance the knowledge of young people on community based adaptation practices and policies.

Specific objectives

• To increase and equip young people with knowledge about Community Based Adaptation (CBA) to climate change and its impacts
• Explore innovative ideas on how science, technology, and innovation (STI) can be integrated into CBA
• Influence policy and practice at the local level through creation of networks and partnerships to support youth in design, implementation and evaluation of CBA programs

Main Activities

1. Pre Conference capacity building workshops
2. Youth CBA conference
3. An online knowledge sharing platform
4. Climate justice concert

Conference structure

3-day Unconventional conference proceedings divided into:

1. Plenary Sessions: These will address ‘big picture’ issues on the theme
2. Break-out Sessions: These shall each address a specific aspect of the broader theme
3. Poster Sessions: Presentation of posters by youth as well as other speakers
4. Marketplace: A chance for everyone to informally share what they do
5. Documentary & Video Sessions: Screening of clips on and about community based adaptation to climate change by youth
6. Climate justice concert: a mini concert themed on climate justice

Expected Outcomes/Deliverables

1. A youth declaration
2. A policy brief on youth and CBA.
3. A youth knowledge toolkit on CBA
4. An online knowledge sharing platform
5. A documentary

Participants

There will be over 100 participants drawn from Kenya as well as international youth participants.

Beyond CBA 9

Youth networks and participants will create an online platform to continue engagement on CBA processes both at the local and international levels. A primary target will be to engage at the county level to influence policy and planning for activities to ensure that CBA issues are taken into account and that youth get support to contribute to this. It is also planned that annual CBA conferences and learning workshops and webinars will be convened to share knowledge and experiences as well as influence ongoing processes.

Youth organizations involved

1. African Youth initiative on Climate Change, Kenya Chapter (AYICC K)- Co-Chair
2. Catholic Youth in Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA)- Co-Chair
3. Kenya Power shift
4. Organization of African Youth (OAY)
5. World Student Community on Sustainable development (WSCSD)
6. Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE Kenya)

For inquiries on the youth conference please write to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.