South Sudanese Christian youth launched a climate advocacy movement on Saturday, seeking to mobilise young people to address environmental degradation and the growing impact of climate change in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.
The Climate Youth Ecumenical Summit (Climate YES), launched in the capital Juba, is part of a global Christian youth movement that advocates for climate justice, environmental stewardship and sustainable development.
The initiative brings together young people from churches, schools and local communities to raise awareness of climate change and push for stronger environmental protection policies.
“The major target of this movement is advocacy and movement building,” Climate YES South Sudan Chairperson Kenyi Emmanuel said at the launch event.
Emmanuel said the movement would seek to engage policymakers on environmental issues, including deforestation, waste management and climate resilience.
He warned that widespread tree cutting for charcoal production was accelerating forest loss and could worsen the country’s vulnerability to climate shocks.
“The government must come up with laws that really safeguard the environment and protect our forests,” he said.
South Sudan has been hit by recurrent flooding in recent years, displacing communities, destroying livelihoods and increasing humanitarian needs, while poor waste management remains a challenge in major urban centres.
Emmanuel also cited plastic pollution and inadequate waste disposal as growing public health and environmental concerns.
“You go to Juba and find waste everywhere. The same situation exists in other towns across the country,” he said.
Climate YES National Coordinator Paul Yokoju said the movement would focus on environmental education, awareness campaigns, advocacy and livelihood initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable practices.
He said participants at the launch, including primary and secondary school students, discussed the causes and effects of climate change and explored ways to mitigate and adapt to its impacts.
“We are calling on more young people to join this movement and become part of the solution,” Yokoju said.
He added that environmental protection could also create economic opportunities through activities such as tree planting, recycling and clean energy projects.
According to Yokoju, Climate YES currently has around 100 members across South Sudan and plans to expand its activities to all states and counties.
Rev. Francis Ladu, Director of Mission at the Episcopal Province of South Sudan, urged young Christians to play an active role in protecting the environment, saying stewardship of nature was both a moral and biblical responsibility.
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