SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH STATEMENT TO COP27 1. Adaptation and Resilience

SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH STATEMENT TO COP27 We, the youth of South Africa, encouraged by the mandate of the South African constitution to ensure the protection and conservation of the environment, balanced with sustainable development and the equitable distribution of natural resources, recognise the urgent need for accelerated climate action to build a self-actualized, climate-resilient, and prosperou. [...] We support the strengthening of the voice of the youth from global South countries at international decision-making tables and stress the need for the involvement of women, youth, and those from marginalised communities in the entirety of the decision-making processes of international policies and frameworks. [...] Capacity Building Guided by Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, Article 6 of the UNFCCC, and the concluding Doha Work Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), we call for the inclusion of youth- friendly, accessible mechanisms to create awareness and educate the members of society on the adverse effects of climate change and capacitate them to create solutions to this global crisis. [...] Finally, we welcome the announcement of the National Treasury to annually increase the carbon tax to reach up to US$120 well after 2050 and call for the following: Just Transition - We welcome the work of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) in developing the Just Transition Framework and further commend its adoption by the cabinet. [...] - We call upon the government to codify sustainable manufacturing practices for all manufacturing companies to ensure that there is no destruction of the environment in the duration of the lifecycle of the goods - Call for stricter regulations that will put pressure on manufacturers to create products that are sustainable and will allow for ease of entry into the circular economy - Call for a ban.