From left to right: Daniel Robinson, Loyiso Pieterse, Gabriel Klaasen, Kamva Majavu, Lindokuhle Rubusana, Inam Mfumbe, Thembi Yoti, Mthembukazi Bazuma, Sinazo Andiswa, Nomanesi Makhonco (Other team members not present: Lisakhanya Mathiso, Sinethemba Ndidi, Geronimo De Klerk, Lunga Makhonxa, Sibusiso Mazomba, Siwaphiwe Lange)
Cape Town youth face high unemployment, low service delivery and challenges of poverty and violence and so often, have little opportunity to relate to the need for urgent climate action. Additionally, the language of climate change is often exclusionary, disconnected to the global south and coupled to the view of the crisis being a “white environmental issue”. Talking about rising sea levels seems disconnected from youth in an informal settlement, facing socio-economic challenges. Reframing climate information and incorporating indigenous knowledges, local researchers, and African experts in making information applicable and relevant is important to inspire urgent action.
The main aim of this project, therefore, is to engage with youth to co-create climate knowledge in order to ensure that the knowledge, the way it is presented, and the language is inclusive of indigenous learnings, relevant and applicable in the South African context.
