As part of the EU Presidency Project, VENRO supports the environmental organisation German Young Naturefriends to conduct an African-European cooperation project on climate justice. A group of 35 young nature lovers from Benin, Senegal and Germany jointly discussed ways of breaking the deadlock in national and international climate policy. And this is what they have to say:
“We think it is important that young people are heard with their opinions and ideas. We are nature lovers from Benin, Senegal and Germany, and together we develop new impulses on the topic of climate justice within the framework of African-European relations and carry these ideas into politics.
“The year 2020 is crucial for climate protection and climate justice as well as future African-European cooperation. Politics sets the course for our future, and we want to have our say!
“Even if we are currently unable to meet in person, our close cooperation will continue. Therefore, we are currently meeting both electronically and physically in Benin, Senegal and Germany to discuss the topic of climate justice with a view to African-European cooperation.
“In the respective groups we discuss our own influence on the climate, take a look at current political processes and share ideas for the future that are important for us. We develop ideas and impulses which we will then work on together in online meetings to discuss them with politicians at national and international level. First discussion rounds have already taken place and some of the participants will contribute our perspectives to the youth forum #EUAUYou.
We had a great start with our joint online conference bringing together 35 nature lovers from Benin, Senegal and Germany! Our main questions were: What does climate and generational justice mean for us? What joint demands do we want to make to politicians? And how can we change something with joint actions?”
This article was first published on the website of the German Young Naturefriends (see German version).
The African-European youth project will continue until early 2021.