Paper: Climate change and youth employment

SNV has created an issue paper outlining our vision to integrate our approaches to youth employment and climate change mitigation & adaptation.

Jobs for young people are a critical vehicle for their social, economic, and political inclusion. By investing in climate smart agriculture and clean energy technology, and attracting young people into these enterprises, there is opportunity to address the multiple challenges of youth unemployment, poverty and climate change. Young people have an increased awareness of the many social and environmental problems our world faces and the willingness as well as potential to tackle these problems; to take our societies towards a low-carbon and climate resilient future.

Urgent solutions are required to create employment opportunities for young people by investing in workforce development, job creation, improved education and the redistribution of incomes. Based on our understanding of investing in young peoples’ potential, SNV has been implementing a successful market-based approach, developing inclusive business solutions for youth employment and enterprise development in agricultural and energy sectors. We have also been addressing climate adaptation and mitigation through our work on supply-chains and support to farmers, businesses and communities.

The issue paper builds on the successful OYE model to support youth employment for climate change mitigation and adaption.