The National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) has urged young people in Malawi to embrace innovation and strengthen coordination to enable them to benefit from climate financing opportunities.

The call follows Malawi’s submission of its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change earlier this month. The implementation of the plan requires an estimated US$7.6 billion between 2025 and 2035.

Speaking during a youth sensitisation meeting in Mzuzu, NYNCC National Coordinator Dominic Nyasulu said NDC 3.0 presents an opportunity for young people to become active contributors to climate action.

Nyasulu said youth participation in previous NDCs had been limited, prompting the organisation to build young people’s capacity and organise them into hubs to improve their chances of accessing climate financing.

“Young people need to organise themselves into green hubs through which they can identify climate challenges in their communities, develop projects and coordinate efforts to access funding opportunities under NDC 3.0,” he said.

One of the participants, Zaithwa Huwani, a Level One Renewable Energy Systems Engineering student at Mzuzu University, described the meeting as an eye-opener, saying it had helped her better understand climate change and how to develop innovative solutions.

Meanwhile, Vincent Banda, a lecturer in the Department of Water and Environmental Sciences, encouraged students to apply the knowledge gained during the meeting to access grants and create opportunities amid job scarcity in the country.

“With the knowledge gained during the meeting, students can develop innovative solutions in renewable energy, water management and community resilience,” he said.