Category Archives: News Updates

At the Global Youth Climate Action Fund believe in the importance of storytelling to inspire change and action. For this reason, the Youth Climate Stories platform was set up to give young people a voice to share their experiences, challenges they have endured, and how they overcame these challenges in the face of the climate crisis.

This is your opportunity to share your unique perspective on climate action and inspire change. Whether your story is about resilience, innovation, or solutions, your voice is essential to shaping a sustainable future.

Eligibility:

Climate Stories is a storytelling competition open to all youth aged 30 and under. Eligible contestants should submit their entries following these guidelines:

1. All stories must be original and may be submitted in English, Spanish, or French.
2. Stories must have a link to any of the GYCAF applicable categories (Figure 1).
3. Stories can be submitted in any format but must not exceed 1,000 words.
4. Formats can include video or audio, with a maximum length of 3 minutes.
5. All entries must be submitted via Google Forms.

*Special consideration will be placed on gender equality.

Categories

Participants are invited to submit their stories under one of the following categories, each reflecting key areas of climate action and environmental stewardship. These categories are designed to showcase diverse perspectives and approaches to addressing environmental issues and opportunities.

• Sustainaible Agriculture
• Clean Energy
• Oceans
• Capacity Building
• Nature-based Solutions
• Tech Innovation

Selection

Two (2) stories will be chosen as winners and will receive special publication in all of GYCAF’s social media pages.

1st place: Monetary prize, e-certificate and a sustainable water bottle.

2nd place: E-certificate and a sustainable water bottle.

If chosen as winner, an additional interview might be required to develop the story further and present it in the best, most impactful, way possible.

The winners will be selected by representatives from the GYCAF core team, along with members of the 2025 Youth Fund Board.

The selection of winners shall be based on the following criteria:

20% Communication: Was the storyteller able to convey a story within the set guidelines?

20% Creativity: How engaging is the story? What makes it unique from the competition?

20% Impact: Which story do you remember the most?

20% Relatability: Which story is most relatable and will possibly attract traffic to our public platforms?

20% Relevance: How relevant is the story to the current climate situation?

Timeline

The Youth Climate Stories competition will open for submissions on January 6th and will close on February 3rd, 2025.

During this period, participants are encouraged to submit their original stories in accordance with the competition guidelines. Following the submission deadline, entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges from the GYCAF core team and the Youth Fund Board. The winners will be announced in March, and their stories will be published on GYCAF’s platforms shortly thereafter.

Terms and Conditions

By submitting an entry to the Climate Stories competition, participants agree that if their story is selected as a winner, they grant GYCAF a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, reproduce, distribute, and publicly display their stories in all media formats, including but not limited to GYCAF’s website, social media platforms, and promotional materials.

This license allows GYCAF to edit, modify, and adapt the stories as necessary to ensure clarity, impact, and consistency with the organization’s messaging. Winners retain the copyright to their original work, but GYCAF reserves the right to use the winning submissions for any purposes related to promoting the campaign and the organization’s mission without further consent or compensation.

Furthermore, participants must ensure that their submissions are original and do not infringe upon any third-party rights, including but not limited to copyright, trademark, or privacy rights. Any entry found to be in violation of these terms will be disqualified from the competition. By entering the competition, participants also agree to indemnify and hold GYCAF harmless from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from their submission.

These terms and conditions are designed to protect both the participants and GYCAF, ensuring a fair and transparent competition process while promoting the valuable stories of youth climate action.

Apply Here: https://shorturl.at/azkS7

The Oxford Smith School is thrilled to announce that applications are now open for its low-carbon summer school programme, Summer SCENE 2025! This immersive online course runs from 7 July to 18 July 2025, Monday to Friday, and aims to engage youth and early-career professionals from the Global South in shaping sustainability policies.

Course Overview

The course aims to guide and encourage a youth and early career audience from the Global South to engage with sustainability policy. After exploring a range of sustainability topics, you will be guided to develop a policy recommendation for world leaders, to be published at the end of the course. In a live webinar format, it provides an opportunity for participants to network in the sustainability space with peers from other Global South nations, student facilitators on current Oxford MSc courses, and learn from Oxford faculty and other experts in this field.

The course provides:

• Live webinar sessions led by Oxford faculty and guest experts.
• Networking opportunities with peers, Oxford MSc student facilitators, and sustainability professionals.
• A platform to engage with cutting-edge research and policy discussions.

Sample Day Schedule

*Guest speakers for 2025 to be confirmed.

Course Details

Dates and Timing

• Duration:2 weeks (Monday to Friday)
• Dates:7 July – 11 July 2025 and 14 July – 18 July 2025
• Times:11:00-13:00 BST and 14:00-16:00 BST

Who Can Apply

The course is open to 50 graduate students and early-career professionals from the Global South who:

• Are interested in sustainability and policy development.
• Have started their careers in the third sector.
• Are eager to transition into sustainability policy development.

Applications are encouraged from individuals with diverse skills and experiences, particularly those aspiring to become future leaders in sustainability.

Key Topics

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of sustainability issues.
• Collaborate on a group policy recommendation relevant to:
  • Local or shared issues across Global South nations.
  • UK government policies under consultation.

Applications & Fees

Thanks to generous funding, 50 fully funded places are available. To secure your spot, a refundable £100 retainer fee is required upon acceptance.

Application Process

• Deadline:12:00 GMT, 24 January 2025.
• Required:An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is essential for selection.

Click Here to Apply: https://shorturl.at/jP8Sn

Summary

• Applications Open:13 – 24 January 2025
• Duration:2 weeks (7 – 18 July 2025)
• Location:Online
• Fees:Fully funded (with £100 refundable deposit)
• Times:11:00-13:00 BST, 14:00-16:00 BST

For more information, reach out at:
Email: summerschool@smithschool.ox.ac.uk

Course Director

Dr. Caitlin McElroy
Departmental Research Lecturer, Enterprise and the Environment
Programme Director, Executive Education

The Government of Taraba State took a giant step towards effective climate action and sustainable development by holding a stakeholders validation workshop for its climate policy and action plan yesterday, January 14, 2024, in Jalingo, Taraba State.

The Climate Change Policy and Action Plan which covered all the key sectors using both quantitative and qualitative assessment methods was developed in collaboration with Society for Plant and Prosperity with funding support from the African Climate Foundation (ACF) and the European Climate Foundation (ECF).

This validation workshop marked a significant progress by the state towards improving its climate governance structure and attracting climate finance to implement viable clean projects. The workshop brought together diverse stakeholders, including state and local government officials, community leaders, civil servants, businesses, civil society organizations, academics, private sector representatives and international partners, who praised the report while also offering valuable feedback to ensure an actionable implementation roadmap.

In his welcome address, the State Director for Climate Change, Ahmed Lazarus, commended the technical team for their diligent work in drafting the policy document. He also thanked the State Governor, His Excellency Agbu Kefas and the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Chang, Ms Hon. Aishat Barde, for their support, and provision of an enabling environment for climate action.

Delivering her opening remarks, Hon. Aisha Barde, thanked participants for their contributions, stating that stakeholders’ input cannot be overemphasized. She also appreciated the ACF and SPP for selecting Taraba State as a beneficiary of the fund, and for their effort in ensuring that the policy development process captures the voices and needs of the people of Taraba state.

Citing the recent wildfire in California, she highlighted the impacts of climate change and warned against the dangers of inaction. Hon. Aisha Barde also reiterated the state government’s commitment to addressing climate change challenges.

“This document is not just the document of the state Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, but rather a document of the government of Taraba State as it clearly indicated the different sectors where actions need to be implemented towards reducing greenhouse gas emission in the state, and achieving sustainable growth. This is both a call for awareness and climate action in Taraba State,” she said.

In his keynote address, the Governor of Taraba State, Gov. Agbu Kefas, who was ably represented by the Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Taraba State House of Assembly, Dr. Tafarki Agbadu Eneme, underscored the urgent need for climate action in the state given its vulnerability, describing the validation of the Policy and Action Plan documents as timely. He said the documents have laid the groundwork for coordinate climate action in the state and reaffirmed the commitment of the Taraba State government towards mitigating the impact of climate change.

“We must recognise that climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a multifaceted challenge that affects our economy, health and the future generation. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to addressing these challenges through a robust and actionable climate change policy that aligns with global standards set fort by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement and other international treaty,” he declared.

Professor Emmanuel Oladipo, leader and representative of the technical team commended Professor Chukwumerije Okereke and Dr Eugene Itua for assembling the team that developed the policy and action plan, and encouraged Taraba State government Ministries, Departments and Agencies to work together to make the success of the policy and action plan document a reality.

In his remark, he highlighted that the United State of America (USA) is already working hard to prevent the reoccurrence of the California fire disaster, a situation he referenced to show that climate change does not discriminate hence adding that Taraba State must take action.

Professor Okereke, President of SPP said he was delighted that Taraba State has taken this important step in producing a document that can enable it to coordinate its climate action in ways that addresses local needs and contribute to national and international climate objectives. He urged the Taraba State Government not to see thee climate policy as an end itself but a means towards mobilizing climate finance and pursing more ambitious climate goals.

After the technical breakout session, participants took the stage to share their recommendations for enhancing the implementation of the policy. These suggestions included aligning the climate change policy with the state’s electricity law, strengthening the state’s capacity to generate renewable energy, and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

Elijah Iklaga, Edwin Orugbo and Ugochukwu Uzuegbu

View Photos:

spp33

spp34

spp35

spp36

spp37

spp39

spp40

spp38

spp41

spp29

spp28

spp27

« ‹ of 2 › »

Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President of the Society for Planet and Prosperity, will be speaking at the Nigeria Climate Change Forum 2025, themed “Accelerating the Transition Towards a Net Zero Future in Africa”:

📅 Date: January 28-29, 2025

📍 Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Nigeria

🔗 Register: https://nigeriaclimatechangeforum.com/

Prof. Okereke is a distinguished scholar in global climate governance and international development, and a globally recognized expert in climate policy.

He is currently a Professor of Global Climate and Environmental Governance at the University of Reading, Co-Director of the Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme on Climate Ethics and Justice, and the Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD), AEFUNAI, Nigeria.

His work focuses on justice and equity in global climate politics, corporate climate strategies, and low-carbon development. A Lead Author for the IPCC AR5 Assessment Report, Prof. Okereke has been at the forefront of shaping climate governance and sustainable development for over 15 years.

Prof. Okereke has led several high-profile international projects in climate justice, national green growth transition in Africa, climate adaptation, and business climate strategies.

Don’t miss his insights on leveraging ethical and equitable approaches to tackle climate challenges in Nigeria and beyond.

The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) has announced the appointment of Dr. Peter Ekweozoh, mni, as a Senior Fellow on Technology Innovation.

This is contained in a statement signed by Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, Communications Officer, SPP, on Thursday and made available to newsmen in Lagos.

The statement said that Ekweozoh would lead SPP’s efforts in advancing innovation and technology diffusion in the areas of environmental research and policy formulation.

The statement quoted Mr. Edwin Orugbo, Chief Executive Officer of SPP, as saying that:

“His appointment reinforces our commitment to leveraging technology to drive transformative solutions.

“His expertise will help in advancing our vision of a prosperous future for both people and planet through innovative technology-driven climate solutions.”

Ekweozoh, a member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, was a Director, environmental specialist, researcher and policy strategist at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

With over 25 years of experience in policy making, strategy and implementation, Ekweozoh has made great impact on Nigeria’s environmental landscape.

Presently, he serves as the Principal Partner, CHERIVEN Consulting Group, as well as the Chief Executive Officer, Methanol and Biomass Integrated Nigeria Limited, a Clean Energy Company with expertise in the production and marketing of Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Africa.

During his tour of duty at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, he pioneered, as the National Project Coordinator, the first comprehensive conduct of Nigeria’s Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture, Energy and Industry sectors of the economy.

As a key output of the TNA Project, the first National Technology Action Plan was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on 23rd May, 2023 as a framework for accessing global Climate Finance.

As a Methanol Development Expert, he coordinated the first National Policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology approved by FEC on 23rd October 2019.

Previously, he served on the Boards of several parastatals, including the National Environmental Standards Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA); Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS); the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA); and the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI).

From 2009-2015, Ekweozoh led the Technology Transfer Negotiating Team of the Nigerian Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties, contributing to key discussions on global environmental technology collaboration.

As an artificial intelligence expert specialising in Microsoft Copilot, Ekweozoh’s multidisciplinary skills cutting across renewable energy technologies will greatly contribute to building smart climate infrastructure in Nigeria.

Reacting to his appointment, Ekweozoh said:

“I am deeply honored to join the Society for Planet and Prosperity as Senior Fellow on Technology Innovation.

“This role presents a unique opportunity to advance our collective efforts in environmental research and policy formulation through harnessing the power of technology.

“I am excited to lead SPP’s initiatives in this area, leveraging my experience to drive impactful solutions, and look forward to collaborating with diverse stakeholders to foster inclusive and transformative change.”

Speaking on the appointment, the President and Chairman, Board of Directors, SPP, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, said:

“it is an immense privilege to have Dr. Peter Ekweozoh join the Society for Planet and Prosperity.

“His wealth of experience will add great value to our organization and the work we do.

“We look forward to working with him to further enhance our impact on sustainable policy development and implementation in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.”

The Society for Planet and Prosperity is a leading Nigerian NGO dedicated to sustainable policy research, climate change advocacy, and policy development at the subnational, national, regional and global levels.

It focuses on fostering inclusive participation of all stakeholders, including local communities in the sustainable management of Africa’s environmental resources.

The organisation has been at the forefront of environmental research and initiatives, producing cutting-edge data and reports on policy frameworks, environmental monitoring and risk impact assessment.

It also undertakes environmental performance ranking of governments and major companies in order to drive corporate social responsibility.