The United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Omar Daair has urged the young environmental industry players to join the climate change battle, helping them to secure a bright future for them and their generations.

He said this during a networking event that brought together young innovators, businesspeople, and activists in different domains of the environmental sector.

Held on Tuesday, October 19, the event was preparing this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference also known as COP 26 scheduled in London next month.

During his remarks, the high commissioner to Rwanda stressed the need of the youths to engage in the climate change fight.

The United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Omar Daair addresses youths in Kigali on October 19. / Craish Bahizi

"The issue of climate change should matter the most to young people, because it is their future that we’re talking about,” he noted.

However, he also reiterated how some Rwanda youths have impressed him by demonstrating keenness to contribute to some of the environmental concerns on the globe.

"That is why I was impressed by how some young people from here, are not only keen to be invited in summits and speak, but they want to have a remarkable contribution to these issues,” he added, highlighting that after the summit, there will be further discussions regarding the green economy issues in a way that benefits young people.

Teddy Mugabo, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Fund for Environment (FONERWA) also highlighted that youths should take climate change and environmental conservation at their heart.

"This topic should be at the heart of every young person, because we are talking about building sustainable systems for our future generations, in which the youths will dominate,” she commented, adding that her institution is developing an accelerator program to support young green growth startups.

Youths speak out

Some of the youths who were also present, expressed keen interest in participating in various green innovation projects and creating strategies to tackle the climate change issues affecting the planet.

In an exclusive with this paper, Michelle Umurungi from the Global Shapers, noted that her age mates should push for changes in this and the climate change area and engage with policy makers to prepare for a more livable planet in the coming years.

"Even though we’re feeling it now, we are going to be at the receiving edge in the next couple years to come, so we should advocate for any actions or policies that could facilitate us to move to a low-carbon economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she commented.

Another climate activist, Honorine Isingizwe highlighted that

"As youths, we are obliged to scale up our ‘Eco-citizenship’ and involvement in finding solutions to environmental degradation but at the same time contributing to the sustainable development of their communities, "she expressed.

"The youths are hit hard when it comes to environmental conservation, because they are affected now and they will face the consequences in the future,” she added.

Recent scientific reports on environmental protection have been really ‘troubling’, as the world witnesses much more climate events like droughts and floods which is heavily affecting different people’s livelihoods in Africa and the rest of the world.

Hence, governments are urged to maintain the same temperature targets, reduce carbon and harmful gases emissions and adapt their ways of living to a more sustainable way.

Particularly in the post-Covid era, environmental management organizations urge countries to grow back, grow back greener.