A youth based organisation,
African Youth Climate Innovation Network (AYCIN) has concluded arrangements to hold a conference on climate change to discuss the global phenomenon as it affects Nigeria and the African continent.
The group also plans a Beauty Pageant titled Miss Climate pageant to drum up support for climate change issues.
According to the group, as serious as climate change is affecting countries, the issue is still not emphasised enough.
Convener of the coalition bringing together various non governmental organisations working on environmental issues, Mr. Seyi Akinwumi recently in Abuja, said, “Climate Change is a forgotten foe
affecting Nigerians on a large scale which is hardly talked about well enough. From frequent flooding to heatwaves, air pollution, drought and so on.”
Akinwumi continued that, “Ignoring the problem won’t let it go away. This is why we young people are championing climate action and inspiring many people to work collectively to end the climate crisis. To battle climate change, there has to be a collective effort of the people, private sector and the government.”
The group said it was important to discuss climate change issues because it recognises the need for the creation of a youth-led organisation to champion a collective action.
The move however brought young climate activists and innovators from across Africa to initiate the African Youth Climate Innovation Network (AYCIN) as a registered civil society organisation domiciled in Nigeria from where it would coordinate over ten other African countries in the coalition.
According to Akinwumi, an environmentalist and founder of Future Savers Initiative, a non governmental organisation championing environmental preservation with massive tree planting and awareness campaign against human activities leading to flooding, “Over ten African countries being coordinated by AYCIN will be launching her maiden National Conference on Climate Change this year in Abuja, Nigeria.”
He continued that the objective of the conference is to create innovative solutions to climate change through technology, art and culture, with a call for tech pitch decks and Miss Climate Change Nigeria, a climate change beauty pageant contest.
“This will connect young Nigerian Innovators to build global climate solutions that will help Africa meet its climate goals of 2050,” he explained.
According to the group, the AYCIN Conference 2022 is the first national youth conference on climate change combining art, innovation and tech to create a network of African youths who have got scalable tech solutions to global climate problems either in small scale or large scale with the intent to solve the global crisis of climate change in Africa.
“We call on the government, private organisations, NGOs and other key stakeholders for partnerships, sponsorship and collaboration to make this iconic event a success,” Akinwumi pleaded.
Azeez Abubakar is in charge of the Pitch deck for innovative ideas of the project who informed that, “The purpose of the innovation challenge is to create innovative solutions to climate change through technology with a call for tech pitch decks from Nigerian youths.”
Meanwhile,
Dominica Una who is handling the Miss Climate pageant also revealed plans of the group on the contest.
“The Miss Climate Change competition would help to promote sustainable development and environment through art and cultural diversity and
musical performances during the event,” she said.
