SAIIA YOUNG LEADERS DECLARATION 2022

The SAIIA Young Leaders Declaration 2022 is a statement by South African youth and educators outlining recommendations for a just, inclusive, and sustainable future. It focuses on four primary areas: global climate change and energy transition, the creation of inclusive societies, the development of sustainable communities, and socio-economic growth. The document calls for increased youth participation in policy-making, the decarbonisation of the private sector, the protection of marginalised groups, and the strengthening of African supply chains and infrastructure.

• The youth express concern over South Africa's climate performance, noting that the country ranks 38th globally in per capita emissions, which stood at 8.2 tonnes of CO2. They identify that the primary obstacles to achieving renewable energy goals are energy storage and power retainment infrastructure, as cited in the Integrated Resource Plan 2019.
• To advance a just energy transition, the declaration demands that the climate commission adopt the Climate Justice Charter and the South African Youth Climate Action Plan. It further urges the Department of Mineral Resources to eliminate the 100MW limit for renewable energy supply from Independent Power Producers and calls for increased investment in hydropower, solar, and wind resources.
• The document advocates for systemic social reforms to create inclusive societies, including the use of universally inclusive pronouns in laws and social policies. It calls for increased services for victims of domestic abuse, the eradication of the 'pink tax' and menstruation stigma, and the implementation of policies ensuring women of colour have equal access to land and property ownership regardless of marital status.
• Regarding sustainable communities, the declaration recommends integrating natural environments like community-led food gardens and public parks into urban areas. It also proposes that supermarkets donate food reaching sell-by or use-by dates to orphanages, community kitchens, and homeless shelters instead of disposing of them.
• The youth call for significant socio-economic support for the informal sector and SMEs, including the creation of 'one-stop shops' for business registrations using IT-based systems to reduce administrative burdens. They specifically recommend a national flagship programme to provide waste pickers with tools, protective clothing, and designated city lanes, while integrating them into city solid waste management systems.
• On a regional and global scale, the declaration calls for the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, with a specific focus on gender mainstreaming. Globally, it demands an immediate halt to new fossil fuel investments in Europe and calls for patent waivers and increased funding for low- and middle-income countries.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2022). SAIIA YOUNG LEADERS DECLARATION 2022. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SAIIA-Young-Leaders-Declaration-2022-1.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. SAIIA YOUNG LEADERS DECLARATION 2022. 2022. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SAIIA-Young-Leaders-Declaration-2022-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=SAIIA YOUNG LEADERS DECLARATION 2022 |date=14 July 2022 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SAIIA-Young-Leaders-Declaration-2022-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2022saiia, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{SAIIA YOUNG LEADERS DECLARATION 2022}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SAIIA-Young-Leaders-Declaration-2022-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }