Feb. 27, 2022

Climate justice undoubtedly acknowledges that, while climate change affects everyone, the impacts are distributed unfairly or unequally – with underdeveloped and indigenous communities and as well as people of color facing a higher risk of floods, drought, heatwaves, air pollution, storms, landslides, etc.

This has led the world to address the vulnerability gap in the climate crisis and draw attention to the situation, involving and listening to these affected communities during global climate dialogue especially as climate disasters are increasing in frequency and scale.

It was for that reason that the Climate Justice Challenge was launched to seek solutions from the communities most impacted by climate disasters.

The challenge was launched on UpLink during COP26, alongside UNHCR, Salesforce, Climate-KIC, Alix Partners, Fundación Avina, Global Shapers Auckland, VillageCapital, Schwab Foundation, COVID Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs, and Global Shapers Port of Spain Hub.

After a careful review of all submissions by experts, a cohort of 9 Top Innovators from five different continents was selected. Of the 9 innovators, 3 are Africans.

Over the next months, this cohort will have the opportunity to participate in diverse sessions, learn from each other, and dive into the UpLink network.

Curious about who these 3 African innovators are and the solutions they offer? Find out below:

Here are the 9 Top Innovators who are contributing to climate justice around the world:

Judith Marera
Cofounded by Judith Marera, Lanforce Energy seeks to provide rural households with access to clean and affordable energy by constructing and installing cheap biodigesters on pay-as-you-go tariffs.

That way, deforestation, air pollution, emissions from fossil fuels as well as the use of chemical fertilizer will be reduced and energy poverty will be eradicated.

Judith strongly believes that empowering women will contribute to the development of Zimbabwe.

Eric Onchonga
Co-founded by Eric Onchonga, Irri-Hub Ke provides climate-smart irrigation solutions to support smallholder farmers in East and Southern Africa to overcome droughts and periods of reduced rain.

It offers solar-powered and IoT-enabled irrigation solutions like climate-smart irrigation, smart water harvesting, and water preservation.

Eric’s goal is to transform the lives of small-scale farmers through the use of climate-smart irrigation technology, and by extension, achieve a zero-hunger world.

Joseph Pumai
Led by Joseph Pumai, People’s Action for Rural Development (PsAfRD) is a reforestation program in Papua, New Guinea, that is contributing to carbon sequestration while conserving forests.

PsAfRD organizes 100 youth organizations and 20,000 green entrepreneurs to work on reforestation and ecosystem restoration.

Joseph builds networks of entrepreneurs for sustainable food system development, as well as forestry and biodiversity conservation management.

Courtesy: Climateaction.africa