Generation Earth partners with Climate Reality Project

The Climate Reality Leadership Corps Africa Training, which will take place in Johannesburg from 12-14 March, aims to arm trainees with everything they need to be the best climate messengers in their community.

Various experts will address best practices in communicating major impacts of climate change specific to Africa, the cost of these impacts, and the potential for growing the African market to adopt sustainable initiatives and alternative energy solutions. Climate Reality Leaders are the future of the climate change movement and this training will equip them to discuss unique challenges of the climate crisis as they pertain to Africa.

Carbon pollution

The training will bring a special focus to the issues that make the African continent particularly vulnerable to the high cost of carbon pollution. Specifically, Climate Reality Leaders will explore how climate change affects water availability, agricultural yields, and human conflict and displacement. They will also explore alternatives and low-cost energy solutions that are already reducing the continent's reliance on fossil fuels and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Generation Earth, a youth-focused environmental organisation, which works to create a green network with the youth, was founded in 2011 by Ella Bella and Catherine Constantinides. Their vision was to cultivate green leaders for the next generation by changing the mind-set of the youth to create leaders for the future who are eco-conscious and aware of how their consumer habits and lifestyles impact on the environment.

Empowerment of youth

Their dedication to climate change, greening issues and the empowerment of the youth within the environmental sector has seen these young entrepreneurs impacting both on the green industry, creating sustainable change and leaving their green footprints across SA, Africa and the globe. Generation Earth is a local partner for the upcoming training this March.

The speakers at the conference include Wanjira Maathai, Green Belt Movement activist and project leader at the Wangari Maathai Institute; South African-born executive director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo; Johan van den Berg, CEO of the South Africa Wind Energy Association; Ikal Angelei and Jonathan Deal, Goldman Environmental Prize recipients; and Evans Wadongo, executive director and chairman of Sustainable Development for All, based in Kenya. Other international speakers include Maggie L. Fox, president and CEO of The Climate Reality Project as well as Climate Reality Project founder, Nobel Laureate and former US vice-president, Al Gore.