Date: 7 November 2025
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
As the world prepares for COP30, set to take place in Brazil from 10–21 November 2025, we stand at a defining moment in our shared journey toward climate justice and sustainable transformation.
For grassroots communities across Africa and beyond, this journey is not merely about global negotiations, it is about amplifying lived experiences and centering local solutions. It is about bringing to light the daily realities of families who live with polluted air, contaminated water, and degraded environments.
Across many communities, rivers once filled with life are now poisoned with waste, while children play near dumpsites, breathing in toxic fumes. Farmers face erratic rainfall, floods, and prolonged droughts that destroy crops and livelihoods. Women walk long distances in search of clean water, and informal settlements battle diseases linked to poor sanitation and extreme weather conditions. These are not distant crises, they are the living truths of millions who bear the heaviest cost of a changing climate, despite contributing the least to its causes.
Yet, amid these challenges, hope continues to rise through the resilience and creativity of young people. Across the continent, youth are cultivating green spaces, promoting recycling, leading environmental education, and innovating climate-smart solutions that restore both ecosystems and dignity. They are proving that meaningful transformation begins from the ground up, through courage, compassion, and collective will.
However, sustaining this momentum demands stronger collaboration and equity. The world cannot talk about climate justice while local voices remain unheard. Every policy agreed at COP30 must translate into real impact on the ground, in cleaner air, safe water, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.
As we journey to Brazil, we do so with a clear message, Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they are the changemakers of today.
Our resilience is our power. Our unity is our strength. And our collective action is the pathway to a sustainable and just future, where people and the planet coexist in harmony.
Prepared by:
Dr. Ronney Kapaso
Founder & Managing Director
Intouch Youth Development & Community Justice