GEO-6 for Youth: Africa
200 years. However, there is a critical gap in the implementation mechanism of the blue economy concept at the national level. With an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.37 million km2
, a land area of 455 km2
and a coastline of
about 491 km, about 47 per cent of jobs in Seychelles are generated through the ocean (FAO 2014). This is through both the tourism and fisheries sector which are highly dependent on marine and coastal resources, and are the main pillars of Seychelles’ economy. Therefore, the primary focus of the Blue Economy department, which falls directly under the Vice President’s office, is to invest in youth development to create technical and professional capacities in blue economy related fields. Through the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the government of Seychelles is developing a National Blue Economy Strategic Framework and Roadmap to achieve this and also address some of the challenges that exist in the sector. One of the ultimate goals of this roadmap is the creation of high value jobs and local investment opportunities which will benefit a broad range of relevant stakeholders and citizens, including youth (Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan Initiative 2018).
While developments of national strategic frameworks and coastal management policies can increase blue economy jobs, synergies between all environment management policies and plans are needed to prevent overlaps and contradictions in some policies which make them difficult to implement as stakeholder roles are not always clear. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) policies, protected area management plans, fisheries policies, and tourism frameworks, are all related, and contribute towards the creation of blue economy jobs. Therefore, youth need to be involved and trained in all these areas for them to make informed and coordinated decisions about the future. More money needs to be invested in the sector by the government especially for capacity building, training of young people, scholarships, and research grants. Young people need to be involved not only in the development of policies, but also in their implementation.
There are many challenges that need to be overcome but young people and youth groups like SYAH and WCS are taking the initiative and affecting change within their communities. Involving youth in decision-making and policy development is how their needs can be identified, and their potential put to use, particularly in the blue economy sector which is the main source of income for small countries like Seychelles.
6.5 The role of young scientists in ensuring sustainable environmental management
Young scientists should not be discouraged by the monumental task of solving global issues, because global issues in most cases are manifestations of localized problems aggregating into globalized scales. Thus, young scientists can strive towards solving localized problems but with global perspectives in mind.
Youth Action 28: Local Action for a global cause, Ethiopia
Koshe dumpsite was the only dumpsite in Addis Ababa which grew as the town grew in population, and the dumpsite increased up to 36 football pitches (Alex 2018). In 2017, a massive landslide occurred there killing 114 people out of the thousands of people that scavenged the dumpsite. This prompted Samuel Alemayehu, an Ethiopian Engineer and one of The World Economic Forum’s 2018 Group of Young Global Leaders, to design Africa’s first waste incineration facility (Reppie Facility) which could burn over 1,400 tonnes of waste per day with the following results (Alex 2018):
• Boiling water whose steam is used to power turbine generators to produce electricity;
• Producing about 3 million bricks from the ash; • Recovering over 30 million litres of water; • Converting Addis Ababa’s CO2
900,000 trees per year;
• Creating employment; and finally • Creating pleasant scenery within the area.
Youth Action 29: Young scientists blazing a trail in Ghana
Young African scientists should be fully supported since their efforts can go a long way in making a lasting difference on the continent. The government of Ghana, through its Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), for example, has initiated a national young scientist award. The first recipient of this award was Michael Kwabena Osei. He is the first Ghanaian scientist to have discovered three new distinct tomato virus strains associated with Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) disease in Ghana (Young Professionals for Agricultural Development [YPARD] (n.d.).
energy which is equivalent to planting
Quick facts • It is critical for African countries to implement green economy policies that result in increased youth employment (United Nations 2012).
• Environmental legislation has become a crucial element of national and international legislation around the world, and is designed to guide the management of natural resources and enable conservation efforts (Kiss and Shelton 1994).
• It is imperative that youth from all parts of the world participate actively in all relevant levels of decision-making processes because it affects their lives today and has implications for their futures (UNCED 1992).
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