Mr Nolo Mokoena, Co-founder and COO of Crtve Development, participated in a closed roundtable discussion organised by the Mastercard Foundation to discuss the importance of green jobs for African youth and the steps needed to transition from commitments to concrete climate action. This event brought together young African leaders at the forefront of creating climate-smart solutions, exploring how these innovations can shape the future of work for young people across the continent.

On Friday, 24 May 2024, the highly anticipated recording of the Mastercard Foundation roundtable discussion featuring Mr. Mokoena was released. The roundtable delved into the transformative potential of green jobs and climate-smart solutions for shaping the future of work for young Africans.

Mr. Mokoena emphasised the importance of reframing climate adaptation as an opportunity to create green jobs for African youth: “We need to reshape the conversation about adaptation. It is not a charitable issue, but an economic one—with the potential to create millions of green jobs for African youth.”

Green jobs offer a pathway towards sustainable development, enabling African countries to achieve their climate commitments while fostering inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and a more sustainable future.

Amid the escalating challenges of climate change, the imperative for sustainable practices and green job creation has surged to the forefront of global discourse. Green jobs, which encompass environmentally beneficial goods and services, offer a dual opportunity to combat youth unemployment in Africa while propelling climate-resilient innovations. “We need to harness Africa’s potential as a leader in green growth. We can create a prosperous and sustainable future for the continent and the world. The time to act is now,” stressed Mr. Mokoena.

Crtve Development aims to play its part, having recently launched its green jobs initiative at the 2023 Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Kenya to support the creation of 1 million green jobs for African youth through adaptation initiatives by 2030.

The Mastercard Foundation’s roundtable dialogue served as a platform for young African leaders to explore and advocate for actionable solutions that bridge the gap between environmental sustainability and economic empowerment for the continent’s burgeoning workforce.