By Irene Mwende
500 youth plus from and outside Africa have
completed the intensive 14-day intensive training on Climate Justice in Nairobi, Kenya. The
Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in partnership with Kenyatta university had organised at
Kenyatta University, which opened the third Nairobi Summer School of Climate Justice
(NSSCJ) cohort 3 in Nairobi Kenya.
Speaking during the closing ceremony Dr. Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA commended
the youth for active participation in the two-week-long learning and called them for the next
challenge of advocating for Climate Justice.
“With the knowledge and skills, you’ve gained from this program, you can become the driving
force behind Africa’s climate justice agenda. You now understand that climate change is not
simply an environmental issue but also a social, economic, and political one, ” said Dr. Mithika
Dr. Mithika stated that the youth are active and a strength of the continent hence their role is key in
advancing Climate Justice Advocacy
“As Africa’s youth, you are the future and the present. You are today’s leaders, shaping the
destiny of your continent and the planet. You are the champions of climate justice, inspiring
hope and change in your generation and beyond. So don’t stop now. This is only the beginning,”
Dr. Mithika adding that the
Nairobi Summer School has been happening in partnership with Kenyatta University.
Dr. James Koske, Executive Dean, of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Science at
Kenyatta University, assured commitment of the University to continually support the
process and called youth to sharpen their skills in climate change and the environment.
He further emphasized that none can deny that the effects of climate change are real and called for joint
efforts for climate action.
“I myself speaking, I am a witness to climate Change issues. We have had policies on Climate
Change. When we went to school many years ago there was rain, and rivers were flooding and
it was hard to cross. Today they are no more. Therefore, we don’t need to persuade you that Climate Change is occurring, you are naturally persuaded and you need to know that this is not
an individual task; everybody is involved and that is why you are here”, said James Koske.
The Director of Programmes at the All Africa Conference of Churches, Dr. Ezekiel Lesmore
stated that the adverse impacts of climate change requires solidarity and no one
should work in isolation.
“We will remain accountable here or there. The question is what you shall respond about your
contribution to climate action because Climate Change is a matter of life and death,” said
Dr. Lesmore.
In her remarks, the Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya, HE Caroline Vicini, acknowledged the
role of PACJA in equipping youth with skills on climate justice and climate change and said
that information is power. She said that the skill gained by youth indicated that the future is
in their hands
“The school is important to base activism on science. I know it’s not easy but nothing works in
isolation. It’s important to be informed and I am hopeful that this generation will be better than
their leaders today”, said HE Ambassador Caroline
The third Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice school was established with goals
to awaken, equip, and inspire a new generation of actors in Africa and globally to address the
question of climate justice, including intra and intergenerational equity hence the overall
objective of NSSCJ is to enhance the capacity of Africans and allies to advance climate
justice perspectives through local, national, regional, and global interventions.
Since 2020, Nairobi summer school has trained over 900 youths from across
and outside Africa .