27-year-old Nigerian, Joy Egbe, has won a ‘Green Ticket’ to participate at the first ever United Nations Youth Climate Summit scheduled for 23rd September in New York.
Egbe was the only Nigerian selected among the 100 recipients of a ‘Green Ticket’ out of a pool of more than 7,000 applicants from across the world who had applied to partake in this historic event.
Prior to the milestone, her drive to advance the course of a green economy in support of climate action led to her co-founding New Digit, a subsidiary of Xigma. The renewables start-up had designed a zero-emission product that uses solar cells and water to produce energy for hydrogen cooking gas and electricity.
Following Egbe’s work as a climate researcher for the start-up, New Digit was among the 15 cleantech businesses selected by the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) for its 2018-2019 inaugural incubation program which aims to accelerate access to clean energy in Nigeria and ensure that green innovations are adequately funded to cut down on the use of dirty energy coming from fossil fuels.
At the Climate Summit, young leaders who are driving climate action will be showcasing their solutions at the United Nations and
meaningfully engage with global decision-makers on the defining issue of the 21st century — Climate Change.
In a video message, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, while congratulating the 100 Green Ticket recipients and the more 500 young leaders who will be attending the summit said: “I appeal to young people around the world to follow the Summit online and to be drivers of climate action in their own countries.”
According to a statement posted on UN site, “the Youth Climate Summit will feature a full-day of programming that brings together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are committed to combating climate change at the pace and scale necessary, as demonstrated by science.
“It will be action-oriented, intergenerational, and inclusive, with equitable representation of young leaders from all walks of life.”
