Michael Chiangi Gbagir from Nigeria has been honored with the Best Educator Award in the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition for his innovative initiative ‘EcoPower Adventure.’ The initiative engages communities through interactive energy-focused activities, like energy scavenger hunts.
This announcement was made during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where the Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with the governments of Fiji and Zambia, recognized outstanding contributions in sustainability.
The awards also acknowledged Bangladesh’s Areebah Armin Ahsan and Pakistan’s Sarah Shahbaz Khan for their exceptional short stories, highlighting innovative sustainability solutions. Uganda’s Michael Okao, Darius Ogwang, and Joshua Elem were commended for their solar concentrator, facilitating clean cooking through renewable energy.
A joint report by the Commonwealth Secretariat and YOUNGO highlighted a concerning trend: although there’s an increase in youth-focused climate finance initiatives, the funds remain limited, hindering large-scale youth-led climate action. The report emphasizes the need for better transparency, streamlined access, and increased private sector support to empower youth-led climate solutions.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland emphasized the pivotal role of young people in tackling the climate crisis and called for enhanced financial support to enable them to lead in powerful climate solutions. Zambia’s Minister of Green Economy and Environment echoed this sentiment, urging increased youth leadership in climate action.
The report findings will guide the Commonwealth Secretariat’s initiatives, particularly the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, aiding small and vulnerable nations in accessing climate finance for climate change projects.
