Youth4CAN, as the in-country focal point for the Youth Adaptation Network in Namibia, held the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day on 13 October 2025 in Windhoek, Namibia. The youth event brought together 20 youths from youth-led NGOs, university environmental clubs, and tertiary students to consult, learn, advise and contribute to the development of Namibia’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) stakeholder engagement processes underway. The Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day is annually convened by the Global Center on Adaptation on 12 October. This year, the event took place in over 100 countries around the world, including Namibia. Namibia’s consultations aimed to amplify youth voices in shaping the development of these important national climate change frameworks and promote inclusive participation.
Participants gained a clearer understanding of the NDCs and Namibia’s road to NDC 3.0, as well as received primary engagement on the NAP processes underway (2025-2027), to develop Namibia’s NAP. The Youth reemphasised the importance of inclusive engagement, particularly involving youth with disabilities, whose experiences and innovations are vital for equitable adaptation. The discussions highlighted the need for youth-led local solutions in areas such as disaster risk reduction, water management, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and ecosystem restoration.
There was a strong call to strengthen climate education in tertiary institutions and to create partnerships between youth organisations, universities, and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Participants also proposed establishing a Youth Climate Advisory Platform to ensure continuous youth engagement in national policy processes.
Outcomes
Key outcomes included youth recommendations for stakeholder engagement during the NDC 3.0 and NAP development processes, consolidated input on how the NDC 3.0 and NAP should consider climate justice and creating opportunities to mitigate high unemployment rates amongst youth, and the strengthening of youth networks across Namibia. The consultations reaffirmed that Namibian youth are motivated and ready to drive local climate action while contributing meaningfully to the national and global climate agenda.
