The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the Africa Environment Outlook (AEO) for Youth process in early 2003. The AEO is the state of the environment report for the African region. The AEO-for-Youth report is aimed at updating and highlighting the AEO environmental themes in a way that is interesting, attractive and appealing to youth in Africa .

The process follows the development of a Global Environment Outlook (GEO) for Youth report and the more recent GEO juvenile process (for the Latin America and Caribbean region). The success of the GEO juvenile, in terms of the quality of the presentation of information and popularity amongst young people in that region, also led to the development of specific country reports on environment for youth, e.g. GEO juvenil para Peru .

Taking the above into consideration, the development of a youth version of the State of the Environment Report (SoER) for South Africa is the next logical step, leading from the AEO-for-Youth report. The process would also fall in line with the goals of the National Youth Development Policy Framework.

The South African youth version of the SoER for will be an unprecedented initiative that is geared towards mobilising the South African youth into a strong environmental network and engaging them in a collective process. The report will be guided by solidarity, respect for the environment and shared responsibilities, and will recognise that people are at the centre of the environment, hence the lead role that youth will play in this process.

This project will be in line and support Principle 4 (q) of the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), which states: “The vital role of women and youth in environmental management and development must be recognised and their full participation therein must be promoted” .

OBJECTIVES

• To provide a youth friendly version of the South African State of the Environment Report, i.e. to increase the accessibility of meaningful environmental data and information to youth; this youth version will initially be in print but can later be produced in electronic format and eventually in broadcast format. This is a key objective as it is aimed at helping the youth to understand the human health and well-being dimensions of the environment.
• To establish an improved network and database of young people, youth organisations and youth serving organisations in the environment field.
• To increase environmental awareness and action amongst South African youth.

CONFERENCE

A t hree-day National Conference on the Youth SoER will take place from the 16 th August - 18 th August 2005 . This is a joint venture between the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the National Youth Commission.