This programme is made possible by the support of the Government and People of Japan.
Africa is a continent with a wide range of climates ranging from tropical rainforests to arid deserts.
As climate change accelerates and poses a significant barrier to Africa's achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the continent’s vulnerability is increasing. The increased exposure to the effects of climate change leaves Africa and its people faced with heightened risks of droughts, extreme weather events and increased water and food insecurity.
These challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which have raised fuel and food prices, unemployment, financial instability, and hyperinflation in some countries. These crises have magnified existing vulnerabilities in Africa, and the consequences are expected to be deep and long-lasting for the economy, society, peace and stability in the region.
For Africa’s voice on global climate forums to be strengthened, Africa needs to work towards meeting its Paris Agreement commitments to take collective climate action to halve global emissions and pursue efforts to keep the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
As such, to meet these commitments many African countries must obtain appropriate financial, capacity building and technical support. Africa should also prioritise development goals that align and capitalize on the promise of green growth for job creation, youth development, and gender equality. This can be crucial as climate change provides market opportunities for the continent to harness its huge resource potential to achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets.
To this end, this programme aims to empower and skill women and youth in Africa to combine traditional knowledge and digital skills to respond to and reduce their vulnerability and to create inclusive, environmentally responsible, and viable employment and livelihood opportunities that contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation and, ultimately, promote an equitable, peaceful and sustainable future.