By Carlos Claudio, Dodoma
The Government has stressed the importance of fully involving young people in decision-making and the implementation of measures to address climate change, saying youth should not be viewed merely as a generation that will inherit climate challenges, but also as key players in developing and implementing solutions.
The statement was made today in Dodoma by the representative of the Permanent Secretary and Director of the Environment Department in the Vice President’s Office, Amina Mbarouk, during the opening of the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY Tanzania), which is being held for three days until September 17, 2026.
Speaking at the meeting, the government representative said youth participation should go beyond consultation and being heard, stressing that young people should be given a place at decision-making tables to contribute ideas and participate in implementing solutions to climate change challenges.
She said the effects of climate change are no longer a distant threat, but are already being experienced through changing rainfall patterns, drought, floods, ecosystem degradation, as well as impacts on agriculture and people’s livelihoods.
“Young people should not only be seen as a generation that will inherit the problem. They should also be recognised as a generation that develops and implements solutions,” she said.
She said the Government recognises the important role of youth in implementing national environmental and climate change priorities, given their energy, creativity, technological skills and ability to mobilise communities.
The conference is focusing on various areas, including clean energy use, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient agriculture, loss and damage caused by climate change, as well as the use of digital technologies.
She also emphasised the importance of environmental conservation, noting that forests, wetlands, oceans, wildlife and other ecosystems play a critical role in protecting people’s livelihoods and supporting national development.
She urged young people to use the three-day conference to listen to one another, collaborate, question existing systems and develop practical recommendations, stressing that the declaration emerging from the meeting should not remain merely a document.
Meanwhile, ActionAid Tanzania Youth Programme Coordinator, Arif Fazel, said young people and children should use the conference to present ideas and recommendations that could help the Government and the international community take stronger action against climate change.
He said resolutions emerging from the conference could help influence Tanzania’s position on climate change issues, as youth perspectives could be incorporated into national, regional and international climate declarations.
Fazel said climate-related impacts such as heavy rainfall, floods, strong winds, drought and cyclones can result in loss of property and lives, stressing the need for communities to change the way they use natural resources in order to reduce such impacts.
He called on young people to propose systems that could help reduce deforestation and charcoal use, while the Government continues to promote clean and affordable alternative energy sources that are accessible to ordinary citizens.
“Do not just stop at taking pictures and exchanging contacts. Listen to the topics prepared, contribute, and make your contribution meaningful,” he said.
For his part, Regen Action Tanzania Founder, James Silvester Magesa, said young people and children have a significant role to play in finding and implementing climate change solutions because they make up a large proportion of the country’s population.
He said the conference aims to empower young people to discuss challenges such as drought and floods and develop recommendations that can contribute to finding solutions.
“Young people are the nation of today and tomorrow. If we do not educate them, we, who are said to be the nation of tomorrow but are actually the nation of today, will eventually have no one to hand over to,” he said.
Magesa said approximately 150 young people are participating in the conference, which also aims to develop a declaration outlining the priorities, needs and expectations of Tanzanian youth ahead of COP31.
He said areas under discussion include innovation and new technologies, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), environmental and biodiversity conservation, water and land management, as well as the use of nature-based solutionsto address environmental and climate challenges.
Meanwhile, Director of Girls Education for Climate Action, Dr Happiness Ngonyani, said empowering women, girls and young people with climate change education is an important step towards accelerating efforts to address its impacts.
She said such education will enable women and young people to participate more effectively in reducing the effects of climate change within their communities.
For her part, Regen Action Tanzania Secretary, Glory Kaaya, said young people possess creativity, skills, talents and ideas which, if given an opportunity, can contribute significantly to addressing environmental and climate change challenges.
She said youth participation should not be limited to being heard, but young people should also be involved in meetings and decision-making platforms so that their ideas can be incorporated into climate action plans and implementation.
Kaaya also stressed the importance of using social media to educate young people about environmental issues and green jobs, which she said could form part of the solution to youth unemployment.
“When we open young people’s eyes and show them that green jobs are an opportunity, they become more motivated,” she said.
The conference is continuing in Dodoma until September 17, 2026, bringing together young people and children to discuss climate change challenges and develop recommendations to be presented through national and international climate processes.
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