102
vant skills to respond to the changes in market
needs as brought about by climate change and (b)
investing in research and training in new and
emerging livelihoods to facilitate SIDS moving
to a green economy (Poschen 2015). These measures should include the protection of enterprises,
workplace and communities from the negative
impact of climate change (ILO 2013; Nurse et al.
2014; Poschen 2015; UNDP 2015).
Currently, the education and training provided
in schools in SIDS are of inferior quality and
irrelevant to the development needs of SIDS.
Good-quality primary and secondary education,
complemented by relevant vocational training
and skills development opportunities, is required
in SIDS to prepare future generations for productive lives, endowing them with core skills that
will enable them to continue learning. A critical
part of achieving sustainable livelihoods in SIDS
is through the protection of the natural resource
base of communities. The rapid rate of degradation of the natural resource base of communities
by climate change has resulted in the vulnerability of tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The government must focus resources on the provision of training to enhance work within these
sectors. The policy must link education and training to market needs to ensure adequate skills and
knowledge are provided to support the greening
of the economy in SIDS (ILO 2010; Poschen
2015).
Technological Innovation as a Vehicle
for Enhancing CCA
The government must increase investment in and
the promotion of technology as a strategy for
enhancing CCA. Technology can play a critical
role in building the resilience of the youth in small
island communities to adapt to climate change.
Technological innovation should be viewed in its
broadest form comprising development, implementation and production of new products, procedures and processes to meet market needs. The
strategy should focus on enhancing the adaptive
capacity of the community to help people to manage climate change uncertainties and provide
them with the tools to enhance sustainable development (Smit and Pilifosova 2003).
Technological innovation and creativity must
be viewed as the solution to empower the youth
with knowledge and skills to build their capacity
to adapt to climate change. Since the youth are
more easily adapted to the use of technology than
an older person is, the government should invest
in technology to provide early warning systems to
inform communities of approaching climatic
weather systems and other climate-related calamities. Technology programmes should also be provided to assist the youth in developing green
energy and new technologies to build stronger and
cooler houses to respond to storms, temperature
rise and other climate stressors. Such technology
should be used to enable the youth to create
drought- and disease-resistant crops to enable
SIDS to feed its people. Training should allow the
youth to use the Internet to enhance their adaptive
capacity effectively; the Internet should be promoted as a mechanism to improve commerce.
This strategy should be supported by governments
in SIDS to create the enabling environment to
enhance financial payment and postal facilities to
take products to international markets.
Building Community Resilience
Adaptation is viewed broadly from the perspective of building resilience. The strategic action
should focus on building the adaptive capacity of
the youth to climate change. The adaptive ability
of most communities is fragile, and there is a perceived lack of political will on the part of the government to reinforce necessary policies and
practices such as the national building codes at the
community level, despite the increased destruction of houses and buildings due to storms and
other climate stressors at the community level.
At the national level, the focus should be on
building the institutional capacity of federal
agencies to adapt to the impact of climate change.
This strategic action should be realised through
(a) enhancing the general public’s understanding
on climate change issues, (b) strengthening the
practice/demonstration as a way of creating
6 Preparing the Youth for the Storm: Deepening the Discourse Around the Youth and CCA in SIDS
vant skills to respond to the changes in market
needs as brought about by climate change and (b)
investing in research and training in new and
emerging livelihoods to facilitate SIDS moving
to a green economy (Poschen 2015). These measures should include the protection of enterprises,
workplace and communities from the negative
impact of climate change (ILO 2013; Nurse et al.
2014; Poschen 2015; UNDP 2015).
Currently, the education and training provided
in schools in SIDS are of inferior quality and
irrelevant to the development needs of SIDS.
Good-quality primary and secondary education,
complemented by relevant vocational training
and skills development opportunities, is required
in SIDS to prepare future generations for productive lives, endowing them with core skills that
will enable them to continue learning. A critical
part of achieving sustainable livelihoods in SIDS
is through the protection of the natural resource
base of communities. The rapid rate of degradation of the natural resource base of communities
by climate change has resulted in the vulnerability of tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The government must focus resources on the provision of training to enhance work within these
sectors. The policy must link education and training to market needs to ensure adequate skills and
knowledge are provided to support the greening
of the economy in SIDS (ILO 2010; Poschen
2015).
Technological Innovation as a Vehicle
for Enhancing CCA
The government must increase investment in and
the promotion of technology as a strategy for
enhancing CCA. Technology can play a critical
role in building the resilience of the youth in small
island communities to adapt to climate change.
Technological innovation should be viewed in its
broadest form comprising development, implementation and production of new products, procedures and processes to meet market needs. The
strategy should focus on enhancing the adaptive
capacity of the community to help people to manage climate change uncertainties and provide
them with the tools to enhance sustainable development (Smit and Pilifosova 2003).
Technological innovation and creativity must
be viewed as the solution to empower the youth
with knowledge and skills to build their capacity
to adapt to climate change. Since the youth are
more easily adapted to the use of technology than
an older person is, the government should invest
in technology to provide early warning systems to
inform communities of approaching climatic
weather systems and other climate-related calamities. Technology programmes should also be provided to assist the youth in developing green
energy and new technologies to build stronger and
cooler houses to respond to storms, temperature
rise and other climate stressors. Such technology
should be used to enable the youth to create
drought- and disease-resistant crops to enable
SIDS to feed its people. Training should allow the
youth to use the Internet to enhance their adaptive
capacity effectively; the Internet should be promoted as a mechanism to improve commerce.
This strategy should be supported by governments
in SIDS to create the enabling environment to
enhance financial payment and postal facilities to
take products to international markets.
Building Community Resilience
Adaptation is viewed broadly from the perspective of building resilience. The strategic action
should focus on building the adaptive capacity of
the youth to climate change. The adaptive ability
of most communities is fragile, and there is a perceived lack of political will on the part of the government to reinforce necessary policies and
practices such as the national building codes at the
community level, despite the increased destruction of houses and buildings due to storms and
other climate stressors at the community level.
At the national level, the focus should be on
building the institutional capacity of federal
agencies to adapt to the impact of climate change.
This strategic action should be realised through
(a) enhancing the general public’s understanding
on climate change issues, (b) strengthening the
practice/demonstration as a way of creating
6 Preparing the Youth for the Storm: Deepening the Discourse Around the Youth and CCA in SIDS