The Climate Symposium Concludes with urgent call of Action
On 22nd September, The Climate Symposium held in Mogadishu brought together diverse voices and stakeholders, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change in Somalia. With participants ranging from government officials and business leaders to youth activists and climate experts, the event aimed to drive locally-led climate solutions and explore the role of young people in leading these efforts.
The event was spearheaded by the Institute of Climate and Environment (ICE) in partnership with UNSOM and other key partners. Over 200 attendees, including representatives from ministries, private sector leaders, civil society groups, and international experts, gathered to share their insights and chart the course for Somalia’s climate resilience.
Key Moments and Panels:
1. Advancing Rights-Based and Locally Led Climate Adaptation
The symposium kicked off with a panel that focused on how climate shocks directly impact human rights and livelihoods in Somalia. The panel, featuring representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Hormuud Group, TaloFord Consulting, and SODMA, emphasized the importance of integrating a rights-based approach into climate adaptation strategies. As highlighted by Ms. Hafsa Omar from the Ministry of Environment, ensuring no one is left behind in climate action is essential for equitable progress.
2. Mobilizing Climate Finance
The discussion on climate finance featured high-level speakers like Ambassador Gamal Hassan and Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of Resilience and Rural Development of South West State, who addressed the enormous funding gap in Somalia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The panel explored innovative ways to bridge this gap, including public-private partnerships and bilateral funding to meet the country’s $16 billion climate finance needs over the next six years.
3. Youth as Drivers of Climate Action
Youth took centre stage during the final panel, where speakers from UNSOM, Somali Youth Hub, and Action for Environment stressed the critical role of young people in climate leadership. With 70% of Somalia’s population under the age of 30, empowering youth is not just an opportunity but a necessity. The panel applauded initiatives like ICE’s Green Champions program, which provides young people with the training and support needed to drive climate action in their communities.
Inspiring Presentations
One of the standout presentations came from Mr. Salem Ullah, a climate change specialist from FAO Somalia, who emphasized the role of agriculture in climate adaptation. Other notable presentations included Dr. Abdullahi Khalif’s take on how Somalia can turn climate finance challenges into opportunities and Mohamed Okash’s insightful position paper on localized climate solutions.
The symposium also featured powerful video presentations, such as Zamzam Ibrahim’s talk on the potential of green skills for youth employment and Dr. Ulrike’s presentation on global disaster management lessons.
A Platform for Collaboration and Future Action
The event concluded with a strong call to action. Participants agreed that continued collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector is vital to tackling the climate crisis. As ICE Director Mohamed Okash highlighted, “The symposium is only the beginning. We need to keep building momentum, especially by putting youth at the forefront of climate action.”
Looking Ahead:
The symposium has laid the groundwork for significant progress in Somalia’s climate adaptation efforts. ICE, along with its partners, will continue to monitor and support the implementation of key recommendations from the event. With youth driving many of these initiatives, Somalia is taking important steps towards a sustainable, climate-resilient future.
