The Program Officer for Natural Resource and Climate Justice (NRCJ) at the Ford Foundation West Africa says youth participation is critical in turning the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commitments on renewable energy, clean cooking, conservation, and recycling into tangible results.

“Accountability is what ensures these commitments translate into real benefits for people and communities”, Emmanuel Kuyole said.

He also believes that inclusion in natural resource and climate governance should reflect the needs of women, young people, and marginalised groups that are often excluded from decision-making.

This call for young Africans to lead efforts in demanding transparency and accountability on climate and energy commitments was made at the 2025 African Youth Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Governance in Accra.

The three-day conference, convened by the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) Ghana and the Youth in Natural Resources with support from the Ford Foundation, brought together over 2,000 young leaders, policymakers, and civil society organisations from across the continent.

Kuyole noted that the Ford Foundation’s support to SYND Ghana stems from its ability to connect green entrepreneurship with youth mobilisation, creating solutions that deliver livelihoods while advancing climate justice.

Further deliberations at the conference emphasised that without youth-led accountability, Africa risks repeating the mistakes of fossil fuel extraction in the race for critical minerals to support energy transition. 

With young people demanding transparency and driving innovation, the energy transition could become a driver of equity and green industrialisation across the continent.

SYND Ghana is a youth-led organisation dedicated to uniting young people across Africa to influence policy on natural resources and the environment by providing capacity-building in environmental advocacy, proposal writing, and pitching to funders, helping youth-led projects gain visibility and funding.

Through training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, SYND equips emerging leaders with the skills needed to drive sustainable development and natural resource governance.