Environmental Sustainability Project

Originally started as a pilot project in 2009, the Environmental Sustainability Schools Programme, now known as the Environmental Sustainability Project (ESP) is Youth @ SAIIA's newest youth outreach project that combines our longstanding commitment to public education on matters of international affairs with our desire to raise awareness of the current environmental sustainability debate among young South Africans.

As a think tank with an area of research dedicated to climate change, SAIIA believes it is important for young people to understand that environmental issues go beyond littering or not turning off lights. Air and water pollution, deforestation, and food security are global concerns and many of these issues often affect people more directly in the developing world. The project is a schools outreach competition that requires teams of learners to research (through the internet, media scanning, personal interaction, etc) an assigned topic related to climate change, and to consider what possible recommendations or solutions they would propose at a local, national, regional and/or global level.

Environmental Sustainability Project 2012

The topic for the 2012 Environmental Sustainability Project is on Sustainable Development, with the themes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 serving as the starting point for research. Issues on climate change will be brought in later in the year as learners will be asked to consider ways to incorporate these issues into the broader topic of sustainable development. In December, successful learners will be brought to Gauteng for SAIIA's Young Leaders Conference in which they will also participate in their own negotiation session to propose possible recommendations and solutions on issues related to climate change and sustainable development. 

Download Information Pack for the Environmental Sustainability Project 2012 [pdf]

Environmental Sustainability Project 2011

South Africa will host the all-important 17th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP 17) on Climate Change in Durban later this year. Youth @ SAIIA has themed this year's Environmental Sustainability Project "Road to COP 17. Learners from Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Western Cape will participate in a model youth climate change negotiation at COP-17. The learners will have a chance to share their solutions for tackling the environmentally linked challenges of today. This Schools Project is funded by the United States Department of State and Sasol.

Download the Environmental Schools Launch CT 20 April 2011 [pdf]

Download the Youth @ SAIIA ESP Handbook 2011 [pdf]