Green Economy Journal Issue 56

ENSURING
RESPONSIBLY
SOURCED
FOREST
PRODUCTS
76%
of consumers believe sustainability
information on products should be
certified by a credible independent
organisation.*
Youth can play an important role in
DEVELOPING A GREEN ECONOMY
Although youth have traditionally led the fight for justice and inequality, the fight in recent
years has changed to halting climate change, and helping to find fresh, innovative and
transformative ideas to utilise in the shift to a green economy in which all the actions taken are
done in a sustainable manner – a manner that will contribute to a better world for all.
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
YOUTH
For peace of mind in meeting consumers' concerns
regarding deforestation and climate change -
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Most people are aware that climate change is no longer
something that will happen in future. It is a lived reality. For
South Africans, reality has hit in the form of extreme weather
events, such as devastating floods, and prolonged droughts resulting
in untenable water shortages in metropolitan areas such as Cape Town
and Nelson Mandela Bay. These events are the new norm for millions
of people. They can be linked directly to climate change, and the only
way for people to survive is to adapt, which requires technology and
the development of new skills.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its Working
Group reports released in 2022, made it clear that global development
pathways must become more climate-resilient – and that the choices
made by society now are critical. With increasing global warming,
losses and damages will increase and additional human and natural
systems will reach adaptation limits.
It is imperative that South Africa continues its efforts to move
towards a green economy, which is regarded as an effective way to
achieve equitable, sustainable prosperity that combines economic
development and social inclusion within one-planet limits. This
means reaching beyond environmental care to create prosperity for
all, as societies value nature, tackle inequality, make their current
activities green, invest in sustainability and define meaningful ways
by which to govern.
In 2021, South Africa made a very ambitious contribution
to the global effort to address the climate crisis in the form of its
updated Nationally Determined Contribution affirming the economic
opportunities offered by a low-carbon development pathway given
the country’s endowment of natural resources, including wind,
It is imperative that South Africa
continues its efforts to move towards
a green economy.
sun and minerals key to the global green economy. The National
Determined Contribution also emphasises the importance of a just
transition – addressing South Africa’s development challenges,
ensuring that there is a smooth and prosperous transition for
workers and communities from our current coal-based economy
to a future zero-carbon economy, and making maximum use of
economic opportunities, including green industrialisation.
Because the youth are such an integral part of the future, the
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has in the past two
years hosted the Driving Force for Change youth initiative through
which youth entrepreneurs who are committed to implementing
sustainability principles into their business models can apply for
financial support. The youth entrepreneurs are also provided with
much-needed business acumen skills training interventions to support
them in strengthening their respective business ventures.
This initiative is a recognition of the fact that young people are aware
of the role which they want to play in addressing challenges such as
unemployment, climate change and social inclusion by making a
meaningful contribution to support our country’s transition efforts.
The eagerness of the youth to be involved in rebuilding and
growing the economy and society post-Covid-19 is evident from
the interactions between young people and government. One of
these was the 2020 Youth Environment and Sustainability Dialogue
where more than 100 young South Africans presented a wide range of
ideas including that a green recovery mechanism needs to be genderand
youth-responsive and that the renewable energy, transportation
and waste management industries are prioritised in the country’s
green recovery strategy. The climate crisis, they said, needs to be
dealt with greater urgency.
The young people asked for greater access to the Green Climate
Fund to enable them to implement ideas they had for a more
environmentally friendly society. This included promoting access to,
and projects of, the world’s largest fund created by the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change to assist developing
countries adapt to and mitigate climate change.
*Globescan Consumer Survey 2021
Timber & forestry visuals courtesy: Merensky Timber
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