The Planet Classroom Network, in association with the Protect Our Planet (POP) Movement, announces a new Net Zero Speaks episode featuring Fatou Jeng, UN Youth Climate Adviser to the Secretary-General, Founder of Clean Earth Gambia, and Gender & Climate Negotiator for The Gambia.
As flooding, extreme heat and infrastructure damage intensify across West Africa, climate adaptation has become a matter of public safety, economic stability, and generational equity.
Hosted by Ugandan youth leader Meda Hope Malinga, the episode delivers a practical roadmap for Africa climate resilience, from early warning systems and disaster preparedness to gender-responsive climate finance and youth inclusion in national climate policy.
In 2022, the United Nations launched the "Early Warnings for All" initiative, aiming for universal access to disaster alerts by 2027. In vulnerable coastal cities like Banjul, The Gambia, the need is urgent.
"We need to ensure governments are preparing for disasters, not just responding," Jeng states.
Despite global climate commitments, less than 2% of climate finance reaches feminist-led environmental organizations. Across Africa, women farmers and traders form the backbone of food systems, yet remain underfunded in climate adaptation strategies.
"It should not be a top-down approach," Jeng explains. "Funding must be consultative, and women must take ownership."
She calls for climate finance to move through community-based organisations that understand local realities, ensuring gender-responsive climate finance strengthens long-term resilience rather than short-term dependency.
