The document is a concept note for the Environment Friendly Support Network (EFSN), an association formed to provide a platform for youth participation in climate change policymaking and environmental sustainability in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. EFSN will focus on themes like environmental sustainability, climate change and the economy, gender, indigenous knowledge, entrepreneurship, health, rural development, and urban planning. The objectives of EFSN include campaigning to eliminate new environmental hazards, promoting a greener environment saved by all young people, educating communities about environmental conservation, and advocating for youth participation in climate change policymaking. Key stakeholders include government ministries and local organizations. The justification for EFSN is that climate change negatively impacts food,

1. Cell:+263 73435 7569 Address:20145 Mkakwa street
+263779908256 RujekoC Masvingo
Zimbabwe
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ConceptNote for EnvironmentFriendlySupport Network
1 INTRODUCTION
EnvironmentFriendly Support Network (EFSN) is an association formed to provide a much needed
platformforyouthsto participate inclimate change policymaking,sustainableadaptation, resilience
and mitigation. The initiative will carry-out a plethora of activities which entails educational
campaigns, public awereness, community dialogues inter alia. EFSN will participate in various
thematic areas that is
i. Environmentalsustainability
ii. Youth Participationandclimatechange
iii. Economyandclimatechange
iv. Genderdisparitiesandclimatechange
v. IndigenousKnowledgeSystem(IKS) andclimatechange
vi. EnterpreneurshipandSkillDevelopment
vii. Healthandclimatechange
viii. RuralDevelopmentandclimatechange
ix. UrbanPlanningandclimatechange
The aforesaidthematicareaswill be aguidingtool forEFSN’svisionof a“greenernation saved by all
youngpeople forsocioeconomictransformation”,the associationwill be workingcloselywith young
people within Masvingo District and is looking forward to extend its hand in other Districts within
Masvingo Province.
2 BACKGROUND
Environment Friendly Support Network was formed as a direct response to gradual climatic
variabilitiesaroundthe globe withanunderstandingthata social groupmostlyvulnerable toclimate

2. change are women, children, youth and the elderly. According to Zimbabwe Millennium
DevelopmentGoals2004 progressreportgoal number 7 (ensure environmental sustainability), the
actual statistics of deforestation in Zimbabwe is a myth, however, the estimates suggest annual
deforestationrate as 100,000- 320,000 ha, be that as itmay accumulative seasonal droughts, floods
have been quite ubiqitous in Africa due to poor adaptation capacity and poor technology
production. The former climatic hazards has negatively give impacts to food production, loss of
livestock,anincrease indisease outbreaks and destruction of property for example during Cyclone
Eline.
3 OBJECTIVES
The EFSN’s constitution describes the following as strategic objectives:
o Campaignforand supportthe preventionandeliminationof all new environmental
hazards
o Promote Greener environment saved by all young people
o Challenge environmental degradation by means of monitoring advocacy,
campaigning, educating and empowering the youth for green nation and
sustainability
o Educate, promote and develop an understanding and commitment within all
communities around environmental conservation (Greener environment) for
socioeconomic transformation
o Campaign for youth participation in conserving the environment and climate
change policy making.
o Promoting Indigenous Knowledge System in environmental sustainability and
climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
4 STAKEHOLDERS
The following is a list of stakeholders partnering EFSN
o Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate
o Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment
o Zimbabwe Youth Council
o Environment Management Agency
o Forestry Commission
o Masvingo Rural District Council
o Southern African Endogenous Development Programme
o General community
o Civil Society Organisations

3. NB: Stakeholdersparticipatinginenvironmental conservation,sustainabilityandclimate change are
also important to EFSN
5 JUSTIFICATIONS
Youth participation in climate change is of paramount importance because it brings in inter-
generational, equity,constructive andtechnical policyinputsthroughinteractions.Climate change is
a gradual temperature changes attributed by both anthropogenic and cosmocentric influences
which will be observed over a comparable period of time. Over the past 200 years the level of
carbon dioxide has risen by 30%, scientists had observed that carbon dioxide contribute to 85% of
increase in radioactive forcing. Evidence of climate change entails:
a) Melting of up to 40% of the arctic sea ice over the Northern hemisphere.
b) World GDP by 2100 will be negatively impacted by 5% due to climate change
c) 2001-2010 has beenthe warmestdecade onrecordwithcarbon dioxide increase during the
same decade
NB: The aforementionedstatistical data(see UNFCCC YouthinActiononClimate Change Inspirations
report, 2013)
Climate change decreasesthe availabilityof nutritiousfood,accesstosafe water,destroyecosystem
through deforestation, veld fires, floods, poaching inter alia. These stresses lead to migration
particularlythe youthandable bodiedpeople tolookforgreener pastures to complement the little
theirpreviousunproductive society would generate. However, migration be (rural-urban, regional
and international) is characterised with uncertainties of success to remit the coinage back home
since xenophobia, human trafficking, (labour zombies) in most cases haunt foreigners largely
because they too desperate to look for coinage to remit back home. This initiative comes as a
counter measure to reduce vulnerability of humankind against expected climate change
implications.
6 CHALLENGES
EFSN has identifiedthe following as a challenge in pursuit of youth participation in climate change
and environmental sustainability for socioeconomic transformation
o Lack of resources and funding
7 RECOMMENDATIONS
EFSN has identified the following as recommendations
o Enhance youthparticipationinclimate change policymakingatDistrict,Provincial,National,
Regional and International level
o Women, girl child and disabled people to be actively participating in all environment and
climate change related activities

4. o StudentsfromPrimaryand Secondary education, Higher and Tertiary education to actively
participate in fighting climate change and advocate for environment sustainability
o More funding to be prioritised in research and development towards fighting against
climate change and youth must be fully participating