Majority millennials fear consequences of climate change
20 December 2016 – On the occasion of the 22nd Conference of the Parties at the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, the COP 22 Steering Committee commissioned the first pan-African study on global warming. This was carried out among young people born between 1980 and 2000, the ‘millennials,’ from 19 African countries.
The survey results indicated that millennials consider themselves directly affected by climate change and note its effects every day (86%). The respondents consider access to water (73%) and the development of renewable energies (71%) as the most relevant initiatives to combat global warming, and more than half of them ( 53%) accuse governments of not fighting enough against its consequences.
A large majority of respondents, (69%) wants to be part of the fight against global warming and think that they can achieve it by separating waste.
“We already feel the consequences of global warming, particularly concerning our health and our access to food and water. Time is running out to reach long-term temperature targets,” warned Aziz Mekouar, ambassador for multilateral negotiations at COP 22, “but political mobilisation is there, as proven by the Marrakech Proclamation, declared by 197 parties at the Convention,” he said at the closing of COP 22 on 18 November.
This COP was a real success with record participation: 29,000 participants in the Blue Zone and more than 35,000 participants in the Green Zone.
As stipulated in the Paris Agreement, which has already been ratified by 113 countries that represent 78.96% of global emissions, the increase in global temperature must remain below 2°C. “If not, we are at risk of condemning an entire generation: millennials, born between 1980 and 2000. They are the ones who will suffer the most from the consequences of global warming. Therefore, the study, carried out by CG Consulting and commissioned by the Steering Committee of COP 22, “Climate change, Time for action”, sought its answers from millennials” he elaborated.
This study marks the first ever to survey the opinions of millennials in Africa on the topic of climate change, including their fears and concerns, as well as their willingness to act and the means they need to do so. They are the latest generation to be able to curb climate change.
