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YOUTH CLIMATE COUNCIL SIERRA LEONE ENGAGES WITH CATBIE PROJECT TO ADVANCE YOUTH-LED CLIMATE POLICY AND ADAPTATION INNOVATION

On April 23, 2025, the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone held a strategic engagement meeting with the Project Management Unit of the Promotion of Climate Adaptation Technology and Business Model Innovations and Entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone (CATBIE). The CATBIE project, implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDA) with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), represents a major national effort to drive innovation, resilience, and inclusive growth in the face of climate change.

The meeting focused on building a formal partnership between the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone and the CATBIE team to ensure that young people are centrally involved in both the policy and implementation aspects of the project. It also provided a platform to discuss how the Council can contribute to shaping inclusive policy frameworks, strengthening community outreach, and supporting the scale-up of adaptation technologies through youth entrepreneurship.

With climate change intensifying in Sierra Leone and vulnerable communities increasingly at risk, the CATBIE project aims to foster resilience by supporting MSME-driven innovation across water, agriculture, and energy sectors. A key component of the project involves improving institutional and policy frameworks to better integrate adaptation strategies and ensure the active involvement of young people and women in climate action.

During the meeting, the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone emphasized its commitment to contributing in three core areas: integrating youth voices in climate adaptation policy and governance, building the capacity of youth-led enterprises and community actors, and promoting grassroots awareness and adoption of climate adaptation technologies. The Council will also support the review and development of policy and regulatory frameworks that incorporate the perspectives of young people, particularly in the design of the national adaptation innovation platform and inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms.

The CATBIE project will update four major national policies with a gender and youth inclusion lens, support the growth of up to 50 MSMEs, create at least 200 new jobs linked to climate adaptation technologies, and reach over 250,000 vulnerable individuals. A strong emphasis is placed on ensuring at least 20% youth and 40% women participation across all project components, including roadshows, training programs, and forums with policymakers.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Executive Officer of SMEDA, members of the CATBIE project team, and representatives from the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone, including the National Coordinator and Secretariat staff. Both parties expressed a shared vision for inclusive climate governance and acknowledged the vital role that young people must play in achieving Sierra Leone’s adaptation and resilience goals.

The next step in this growing collaboration will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to institutionalize the Council’s role in supporting CATBIE implementation. This agreement will formalize the Council’s contributions to policy, innovation, and public engagement, further embedding youth perspectives in Sierra Leone’s climate response.

The Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone remains committed to driving bold, inclusive, and solutions-oriented action, ensuring that no climate policy or project moves forward without the voice and leadership of the nation’s young people.

Youth Climate Council (YCC) Partners in Two-Day NDC Consultation for Young Women and Girls

From 9th to 10th April, Youth Climate Council (YCC) partnered with Youth Initiative for Climate Action (YICA) to facilitate a two-day Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Workshop and Consultation specifically for young women and girls across Sierra Leone. This consultation was an independent effort to gather insights from youth and ensure their voices are heard in the NDC review process.

The official review of Sierra Leone’s NDCs, launched by the government, is a pivotal opportunity to shape climate policies that will address the country’s climate challenges. As youth leaders, we understand the importance of including young women and girls in this process, especially considering their unique vulnerabilities to climate change. This consultation aimed to collect direct input from young women and girls, which will be presented to stakeholders in the form of policy briefs and recommendations.

Objectives of the Consultation

The consultation’s primary objective was to collect input from young women and girls, ensuring that their voices and concerns are reflected in the updated NDC. The discussions focused on:

  • Identifying key priorities and concerns related to climate change from the perspective of young women and girls.
  • Discussing the barriers preventing young women from participating in NDC processes and proposing ways to overcome them.
  • Developing actionable policy recommendations that can be presented to the NDC review stakeholders, ensuring that youth and marginalized groups are actively represented in the climate conversation.

Key Themes Discussed

Throughout the consultation, three key themes were addressed: Adaptation, Mitigation, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).

  • Adaptation: The group identified priorities such as climate-smart agriculture, improved water management, and health resilience, particularly addressing how these strategies can be inclusive of young women and girls.
  • Mitigation: Discussions on mitigation focused on opportunities for youth in renewable energy, sustainable waste management, and green jobs, while also recognizing the barriers young women face in accessing these opportunities.
  • Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI): A critical discussion centered on the importance of gender-responsive climate policies and how to ensure young women’s active participation in decision-making processes related to climate action.

Recommendations for the Updated NDC

By the end of the consultation, participants developed a series of actionable recommendations for the updated NDC:

  • Prioritize youth-led climate actions and ensure young women and girls are given opportunities to lead in both adaptation and mitigation efforts.
  • Incorporate climate resilience strategies tailored to the needs of vulnerable communities, with a focus on gender equality and social inclusion.
  • Enhance youth access to climate finance, training, and resources, ensuring young women and girls can meaningfully contribute to national climate efforts.
  • Create platforms for youth representation in climate governance, ensuring that young women and marginalized groups are included in policy development and implementation.

Support from She Leads, Plan International, and YCC

This consultation was made possible with the support of She Leads and Plan International, both of which have been instrumental in ensuring that young women and girls have the resources and opportunities to engage in climate action. Youth Climate Council (YCC) is proud to partner in this effort to amplify the voices of young women in climate policy discussions and to contribute to an updated NDC that is inclusive, gender-responsive, and youth-led.

Next Steps: General Youth Consultation Across Sierra Leone

Building on the success of this consultation, the next step will be leading a general youth consultation across Sierra Leone. This will allow us to gather input from a wider range of young people, ensuring that the perspectives of all youth, especially those from rural and marginalized communities, are included in the NDC review process.

YCC remains committed to advocating for youth-led climate action and ensuring that gender equality and social inclusion are at the core of national climate policies. We will continue to support youth engagement in climate action, ensuring that their voices are central to shaping the future of climate policy in Sierra Leone.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our work in advocating for an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Sierra Leone. Together, we will ensure that the climate future of Sierra Leone is shaped by the voices of its youth.

Launch of the Youth Climate Council Freetown Chapter – A New Era for Youth-Led Climate Action in Freetown

On Friday, December 13, 2024, the Youth Initiative for Climate Action (YICA-SL) proudly launched the Youth Climate Council Freetown Chapter at the Freetown City Council Hall. This milestone marks the first local chapter of the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone (YCC), a national initiative aimed at empowering and mobilizing young people to take a central role in climate action and policy advocacy.

Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr signing the launch of the YCC Freetown Chapter

The launch event, themed “Youth Voices, Policy Choices: Strengthening Local Action for Freetown,” brought together youth leaders, policymakers, and climate advocates to emphasize the importance of youth involvement in local climate initiatives. The establishment of the Freetown Chapter is a critical step in ensuring youth voices are central to the development and implementation of climate policies at the local level, with plans to expand to other provinces in Sierra Leone.

In her keynote address, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Co-Chair of C40 Cities, highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change, stating that it is not a distant threat but a reality that is already impacting lives. She specifically pointed to the challenges faced by the agricultural sector in Sierra Leone, with changing weather patterns and extreme rainfall affecting crop yields. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that collective action is required to combat the climate crisis and urged all sectors to work together to reduce its impacts and build resilience.

Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown and c40 Cities C-Chair

As the National Coordinator of the Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone, Foday Mark Kamara shared the journey that led to the establishment of the Freetown Chapter. Reflecting on the initial outreach to the Mayor over a year ago, he spoke about how the vision for the Freetown council evolved into a national movement. With the support of strategic partners such as the Green Africa Youth Organisation and the Youth Council Global Alliance, the national council was created, with the Freetown Chapter serving as the first local hub for youth-led climate action.

Foday Mark Kamara, National Coordinator, Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone.

Yatta Kallon, Head of the Climate Change Department at Freetown City Council, also addressed the audience, expressing the significance of the initiative as a beacon of hope for youth leadership in climate action. She reminded attendees that the climate challenges we face are real and present, affecting not only the environment but also the livelihoods of communities, particularly in urban areas like Freetown. Through collaborations like the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, the Freetown City Council has been able to provide support to youth organizations, including YICA-SL, in their efforts to address these challenges.

Yatta Kallon, Head of Climate Change Department, Freetown City Council

The launch of the Freetown Chapter marks the beginning of a broader vision to strengthen grassroots involvement in climate action. The Youth Climate Council Sierra Leone aims to continue expanding its local chapters across the country, ensuring that young people everywhere have the opportunity to contribute to policy development and climate change mitigation.

YICA-SL remains committed to empowering the youth of Sierra Leone to lead the way in building a greener, more resilient future for all. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the partners, stakeholders, and supporters who have made this initiative possible, and we look forward to the continued success of the Youth Climate Council Freetown Chapter and its expansion nationwide.

Together, we will ensure that youth are at the forefront of climate action, driving positive change for a sustainable Sierra Leone.