As we strive to meet global climate targets, such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must do more than adopt available technologies at our disposal.
We must also ensure we equip our youth to shape, lead and own the solutions. Education and innovation are central to this effort.
With the global community far from achieving the goal of limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C of levels prior to the first industrial revolution, there is a need for urgent action. This urgency also presents an opportunity for South Africa’s youth to harness technological innovation in addressing climate change, creating jobs and contributing to sustainable development.
A recent Nature Journal report highlights 2024 as the first year to surpass the critical 1.5°C global temperature increase threshold, underlining the need for immediate, accelerated action to mitigate environmental degradation.
To unlock real progress, we must prioritise future-focused skills development.
Similarly, the UN SDGs remain out of reach in South Africa and globally. While this reality is concerning, it is also an opportunity − one through which South Africa’s youth can drive change through technological innovation, job creation and sustainable development.
South Africa faces entrenched challenges. In a UN review, it noted there is a dire need to upskill workers in an economy with one of the highest unemployment rates across the world; officially the unemployment rate in South Africa is 32.9%, as reported during the first quarter of this year.
The so-called expanded rate, which includes those who have given up seeking gainful employment, is 43.1%, up 1.2 percentage points from a year ago. At the same time, we struggle to meet SDG targets on poverty, education, gender equality and institutional strength.
To unlock real progress, we must prioritise future-focused skills development. Technological advancements and innovations present significant economic potential.
The UN’s SDG report for South Africa emphasises the importance of aligning skills development with the labour market, suggesting that the development of green technology and the broader renewable energy sector are more than just enablers, as they are key levers for employment, entrepreneurship and climate resilience.
The critical link between job creation, education and renewable energy highlights the importance of providing youth with the necessary skills to drive innovation.
Without a robust educational foundation that equips young people with the knowledge and practical skills needed to thrive in green technology sectors, South Africa will struggle to achieve its climate and economic goals. Renewable energy, once considered a niche market, has now become a business imperative globally and locally.
For South Africa to meet its climate targets and reduce its unemployment rate, it is essential that the youth are empowered with skills to lead the green revolution. This means ensuring educational institutions, like ours, focus on fostering technical expertise in areas such as renewable energy technologies, sustainable development and the internet of things.
Solutions such as AI-powered microgrids, predictive energy usage systems and smart infrastructure can help businesses reduce waste, improve energy access and lower costs, particularly in townships and rural communities. These innovations not only reduce environmental impact but also improve access to power, information and economic inclusion.
Young people must be equipped not only with technical knowledge, but also with the adaptability and innovation mindset to address both today’s challenges and those of the future. Institutions like ours are reimagining education by integrating disciplines such as AI, intelligent systems, sustainable computing and renewable energy engineering into curricula.
The youth of South Africa have the potential to lead this transformation. With the right educational framework and support systems, we can equip young people with these skills, ensuring they not only contribute to the success of established businesses but also have the opportunity to start their own ventures, further boosting the green economy.
South Africa’s youth can create the green technology solutions that are essential for tackling both the environmental and economic crises we face. Through entrepreneurship and innovation, young South Africans can establish businesses in the green tech sector, thus creating much-needed jobs and contributing to the nation’s transition to a greener, more sustainable economy. This green transition is more than an environmental issue, as it is a social and economic imperative.
By empowering the youth with the tools to innovate and lead in the renewable energy sector, South Africa has the opportunity to not only meet its climate goals but also to build a more equitable, prosperous future for all its citizens. This demands stronger collaboration between government, business and academic institutions.
As the global community pushes for urgent climate action, it is clear that technology and innovation will play a central role in achieving these goals. It is a national imperative that we enable young people to lead the green technological revolution – taking South Africa into a more sustainable and prosperous future.
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