NIGERIA YOUTH CLIMATE JUSTICE HANGOUT
Date Uploaded: June 14, 2025
Categories: Interventions
On the 14 of June 2025, Rooted Rising Initiative hosted the Nigeria Youth Climate Justice Hangout in the city of Port Harcourt.
The Hangout sparked bold conversations about the plastic crisis — not just as an environmental issue, but as a systemic failure rooted in weak governance, unethical production, and broken public health priorities.
Key discussions included:
Plastic is not the enemy — the real problem lies in how it is produced, consumed, and poorly regulated.
Behavioral change and public consciousness are crucial. People must rethink daily choices and habits.
Waste management reform must go beyond plastics to target the entire lifecycle — from product design to post-consumption systems.
Segregation at waste using color-coded systems for organic and inorganic waste can drive real change.
Policy enforcement must be rigid, consistent, and driven by integrity and political will.
Recycling isn’t enough if we don’t track where the waste ends up — does it truly get recycled or return to the environment?
Community-driven solutions such as monetizing waste, door-to-door waste collection, and local cooperatives were proposed as practical actions.
The importance of amplifying youth voices and engaging rural communities through market unions and grassroots networks was strongly emphasized.
A reflective question emerged: How do we balance economic livelihoods with sustainable practices? The answer lies in offering solutions, not shame.
The session ended with an emotional poem that urged us all to begin with ourselves — to become the solution we seek.
CALL TO ACTION Let’s shift from blame to bold action. Demand transparency in product design and production. Support and practice proper waste segregation. Hold industries and government accountable. Engage your community, educate others, and organize. Start where you are — change begins with you.
Thanks to International Climate Change Development Initiative, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) for their support