Reflecting on COP28: Malawians supplement measures to combat climate change

The post 28 Conference of Parties (COP28) reflection session held in Malawi has recognized knowledge sharing, coordination and development and implementation of action plans as some of the measures that need to be embraced if the country is to succeed in fight against climate change and its impacts.

The session was convened in Lilongwe barely 8-days after the COP28 that was held in Dubai’s United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 30 November this year.

National Coordinator for Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC), Julius Ng’oma, said there are activities that have been put in place to ensure that every stakeholder in the climate sector is not left behind.

“The first one is the reflection session we are having today where we are assessing how we supported the government in terms of engaging for COP28, our reflection on how we prepared and how we were engaged in the deliberations,” he said.

“At the end of this meeting, we will draft an action plan on what we want to do as young people, Civil Society Organizations and the media to support the government to prepare for COP29”, added Ng’oma.

Dominic Nyasulu who is National Coordinator for National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) that co-organized the session with CISONECC concured with Ng’oma on the need to have a reflection after the COP28.

“Prior to the COP, we had some activities that aimed at amplifying the youth voices towards issues around it. So, this session is just to highlight some of the feedback from the youth perspective”, he explained.

Nyasulu has since described the COP28 as a game changer for some youths in the climate sector.

He says, “Youths have benefited a lot. We are talking about exposure not only in our case but also in the case of children who attended it”.

In his remarks, regional director for Leadership for Environment and Development, Prof. Sosten Chiotha encouraged youths to continue playing active roles in the fight against climate change.

He says solutions that need to be applied in fighting the issue can be obtained in meetings like that of COP hence it was necessary to attend and later do a reflection.

Delegates from 200 countries attended the COP28 where they also agreed on the need to transition away from using fossil fuels, among others