Climate change, young people are talking about it!

Protected areas play an important role against climate change.

           CliMates is an international laboratory of ideas and actions with a branch in Madagascar that gathers volunteers, students and young professionals around climate issues. Its purposes are to give the climate generation the capacities to appropriate the concept of climate change to become responsible individuals and actors of development. The association is particularly active in three areas: research, advocacy and capacity building, particularly through simulations of climate scenarios in the form of interactive games.

Young people play an important role in the fight against climate change, not only as a major demographic force in society, but also because it is young people who will inherit our nation. Unfortunately, the current situation does not highlight the role of young people in this common fight.

Protected areas play an important role in combating climate change, yet it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change because of the pressures they are under, especially in this time of crisis. CliMates is aware of these impacts on the economy, on the livelihoods of people directly dependent on forests and biodiversity. In this respect, the association has given and continues to give trainings on the understanding of climate change with local associations and structures. Several young people from several regions of Madagascar have already benefited from the trainings and shared them, in turn, with their peers. The association always wishes to expand its activities and welcome young people who are motivated and ready to get involved.
 
In terms of a solution, action is needed at all levels. Encouraging recycling, reducing the consumption of plastic goods, not throwing garbage away anywhere, these are simple gestures that everyone can do at home, in the workplace and even in the street. At the institutional level, we need to stimulate and strengthen the dialogue in order to be able to arrive at a policy where everyone can find their way, to highlight the multisectoral aspect of climate change with the effective inclusion of all stakeholders, especially young people. Climate change concerns everyone.

The Malagasy youth wants to feel involved and empowered!

              The whole world is facing different problems related to climate change, and in Madagascar young people are beginning to become aware of this scourge. Constituting 70% of the Malagasy population, young people should be the first to be concerned by this embarrassment as they will be the future decision-makers of the country's future. However, the observed reality shows the contrary, most of them are not engaged in this struggle because their priority is, as young people, the search for a good and stable job, especially those living in rural areas. Despite this, there are young people who are standing up and fighting to reduce these climate risks.

Committed and active, this small number of young people is coming together through platforms to carry out relevant actions to reverse the destructive cultural trend of the environment and put in place at their level strategies for adaptation and mitigation, to fight against climate change. Networks sponsored by larger platforms bring together youth associations such as "Namako ny Tany" or the "Indian Ocean Climate Network" in order to share know-how and carry out projects together. Today, thanks to these platforms, young people are mastering climate issues as well as a technician and international negotiations.

There are more and more actions and new initiatives. There is a desire to create opportunities through green development, but the popularization of these new initiatives is still not enough due to a lack of resources, and this lowers the motivation of young people. 
 
Unfortunately, the efforts to support these youth initiatives are not enough, their voices are barely heard.  Malagasy youth call on the State to hear their plea because they want to feel involved and empowered in this common struggle.