Koforidua, Aug. 15, GNA - Nii Kpakpo Sylvester, Public Relations Officer of the African Youth Development Organization (AYDO), on Friday advised the youth to start developing self-employment out of the challenge of climate change.

"The recycling of paper and plastic products to conserve energy can be a source of employment for the nation's teeming unemployed youth" he said.

Nii Sylvester was speaking at a forum in Koforidua on the theme "Youth Employment and climate change; time for action" in commemoration of UN International Youth Day.

He said over the past few decades, climate change had brought about extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, storms and heat waves. He said those dramatic changes had also caused sea levels to rise, threatened wildlife, reduced the amount of safe drinking water and increased the spread of disease.

Nii Sylvester said government policies could help in fighting climate change and that such policies could be in the form of municipal rules for energy use and regulation of industries whose emissions constitute an important cause of climate change. "Youth organizations must influence policies by government as well as help raise awareness on climate change".

Additionally, youth organizations should monitor policy implementation, to share their knowledge and put pressure on policy makers at all levels to ensure that policies do indeed deliver outcomes for young people".

Nii Sylvester said in solving the challenge of climate change and youth unemployment, new forms of responses should be pursued. The formation of partnerships between organizations and communities as well as the creation of "green jobs" in view of the increasing concerns of climate change can be viable alternatives.