The South African Youth Climate Action Plan

The South African Youth Climate Action Plan (SA YCAP) is a comprehensive framework developed by young people aged 13-30 to advocate for an intersectional and just transition to a decarbonised economy. It calls for the integration of youth in policymaking, the implementation of a national climate education plan, and a shift from fossil fuel dependency to decentralised renewable energy. The plan emphasizes the need for good governance to combat corruption in climate finance and proposes specific nature-based solutions and sustainable agricultural practices to protect South Africa's biodiversity and food security.

• The plan advocates for an intersectional approach to climate action, recognizing that factors such as race, gender, disability, and income levels compound the lived experience of the climate crisis, particularly in under-resourced communities.
• There is a critical need for a comprehensive national climate education plan to address insufficient climate literacy in South Africa, which leaves vulnerable populations less prepared for climate impacts.
• The document argues that institutional corruption and mismanagement of state funds undermine the effective use of climate finance and reduce the adaptive capacity of society to climate impacts.
• South Africa is identified as the worst greenhouse gas emitter in Africa and the 12th worst globally, necessitating a swift transition from centralised fossil fuel energy to decentralised renewable energy.
• The plan calls for public institutions to divest from fossil fuel-driven industries and redirect investments into the renewable and sustainable sector by 2030.
• To achieve a circular economy, the document recommends a national strategy and the banning of single-use plastics by 2030 at the latest.
• The plan emphasizes the need for nature-based solutions, including the restoration of degraded land, seascapes, and abandoned mines through reforestation and urban rewilding.
• The document highlights the vulnerability of South Africa's agricultural sector to droughts, heatwaves, and flooding, calling for a shift toward regenerative agriculture and the regulation of synthetic fertilisers.
• The plan urges the establishment of Youth Climate Advisory Councils at national, provincial, and local levels to ensure non-tokenistic youth participation in policymaking.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). The South African Youth Climate Action Plan. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-South-African-Youth-Climate-Action-Plan-2021.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The South African Youth Climate Action Plan. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-South-African-Youth-Climate-Action-Plan-2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The South African Youth Climate Action Plan |date=1 October 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-South-African-Youth-Climate-Action-Plan-2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021south, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The South African Youth Climate Action Plan}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-South-African-Youth-Climate-Action-Plan-2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }