South Africa’s Just Transition must be youth-led

As global temperatures continue to rise and the effects of climate change become more severe, South Africa stands at a crossroads. The choices we make now will shape our nation’s future. And one thing is certain: if that future is to be sustainable, inclusive, and just, it must be shaped now and led by the youth.

This was the resounding message from the Youth Climate Roundtable and Watch Party hosted by the United Nations in South Africa on July 22, 2025. The event amplified UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ powerful speech, “A Moment of Opportunity,” by bringing together young South Africans to share ideas, shape solutions, demand meaningful participation and recommit to advancing the country’s energy transition.

Inspired by the legacy of the 1976 student uprisings, today’s youth are no longer willing to be sidelined. They are reclaiming their place in the climate movement and at the decision-making public and private sector tables—not as passive victims of a crisis they didn’t create, but as active agents of change.

The Moment is Urgent—But so is the Opportunity

In 2024, global temperatures exceeded the critical 1.5°C threshold. In South Africa, this crisis is not theoretical—it’s lived daily. We see it in persistent droughts, rising energy costs, worsening floods, and deepening inequality. These impacts hit young people hardest, particularly those in rural and marginalized communities. And yet, they remain vastly underrepresented in the very institutions where decisions about their future are being made.

The recent floods in the Eastern Cape, which damaged over 400 schools and 1,400 classrooms and affected more than 43,000 learners, are a stark reminder of the disproportionate impact climate disasters have on young people and education systems. As Premier Oscar Mabuyane noted, ‘It is no longer enough to react to disasters. We [through concerted action at national and local levels] must prepare for them and prevent them where possible.’ This underscores the urgent need for early warning systems, anticipatory action, and resilience-building as core pillars of disaster management.

But where others see crisis, youth are seeing opportunity.

They are demanding a shift—from despair to determination, from diagnosis to delivery. They see the clean energy transition not just as necessary, but as inevitable—and full of potential. New green jobs. Cleaner, affordable energy. Resilient communities. A more inclusive, fair economy.

“This transformation is fundamentally about energy security and people’s security. It’s about smart economics. Decent jobs, public health, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. And delivering clean and affordable energy to everyone, everywhere.” — António Guterres

As I told youth at the gathering, “Young South Africans are not waiting—they are already leading.”

Seven Youth Priorities for a Just Transition

At the roundtable, youth participants didn’t just call for action—they laid out a clear roadmap for it. Here’s what they’re asking:

1. Let’s stop talking—let’s start building. Move beyond identifying climate problems. Invest in practical, innovative solutions that work for both people and planet.
2. Unlock inclusive funding. Current grant systems too often exclude young innovators who lack formal credentials. We need flexible, accessible funding for all youth, regardless of academic background.
3. Bridge the climate information gap. Local, accurate climate data must reach the people who need it most. Empower communities to act and hold institutions accountable for inaction.
4. Recognize migrants and refugees as climate leaders. Their lived experience offers vital insight. Inclusion must mean valuing all voices, not just the privileged few.
5. Put youth in positions of power. Equip young people to contest local elections, lead projects, and hold office. Climate justice must be a political priority—and youth can make it one.
6. Empower local municipalities. Cities and towns are on the frontlines of climate impact. Let them lead, with the funding and policies to back them up.
7. Stop writing policies and start implementing them. South Africa has climate strategies. What’s missing is follow-through. Youth must not only be consulted—they must help deliver.

These are not radical ideas. They are common sense, if we are truly serious about a future that is fair, green, and resilient.

From Momentum to Movement

The roundtable also underpinned the youth-led climate campaign to raise awareness and mobilize support for South Africa’s anticipated economy-wide and high-ambition Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) anchored in the Just Energy Transition Implementation and Investment Plans. It’s another reminder that youth aren’t entering this fight, they’ve been leading it across South Africa and other major economies around the world. What’s needed now is for governments, businesses, and civil society to recognize and support their leadership.

This is a movement driven by creativity, courage, and clarity. From classrooms to councils, youth are demanding a seat at the table and a say in the future they will inherit.

“This is our moment of opportunity,” one participant said. “Youth must not only be part of the conversation, but they must also help lead it.”

A Just Transition Must Be Youth-Led

As South Africa leads the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, the Presidency has declared that ‘our first priority is to take action to strengthen disaster resilience and response.’ This historic G20—hosted for the first time on African soil—emphasizes solidarity, equality, and sustainability as guiding principles for global cooperation.

South Africa’s clean energy transition cannot succeed if it excludes the very people, it most affects. It cannot be just if it is top-down. It cannot be sustainable if it is not youth-powered.

The world is watching. And the youth are ready.

We must act, by removing structural barriers, resourcing youth leadership, and embedding young voices at every level of decision-making. Not tomorrow. Today.

Because the just transition isn’t coming. It’s already here. And it’s in good hands if we let it be.