On the 15th of October 2025, the State Library’s American Corner in Maseru transformed into a hive of energy and determination as more than fifty youth-led organizations gathered for the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day. The event, led by Plant One Tree in collaboration with the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), European Union in Lesotho, Lesotho Meteorological Services, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ministry of Forestry and Environment, Kick4Life, National Climate Change Committee.
The consultation focused on Lesotho’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), exploring how youth-led initiatives can shape and implement the country’s climate strategies through collaboration, innovation, and policy engagement.
A Generation at the Crossroads of Change, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), countries will submit the third round of NDCs in 2025, outlining their intended climate actions through 2035. For Lesotho’s youth, this marks a defining moment — a chance to ensure that national climate commitments reflect their realities, challenges, and aspirations.
“We cannot inherit a broken planet,” Mpho Lebesa, Global Center on Adaptation Focal Point, asserted. “Our participation in shaping NDCs and NAPs is not optional – it is essential.”
The discussions illuminated how NAPs serve as crucial blueprints for climate preparedness guiding countries like Lesotho in strengthening resilience, enhancing community adaptation, and preserving ecosystems. Participants emphasized that these plans must be youth-centered, inclusive, and grounded in local realities to achieve true sustainability.
Among the day’s leading voices were Mpho Priscilla Lebesa, Co-Founding Director of Plant One Tree, Metsi-a-Lesotho Champion, and Global Center on Adaptation in-country focal point. Her leadership and advocacy have positioned Plant One Tree as a driving force behind youth mobilization and environmental stewardship in Lesotho.
“The youth of Lesotho are not just witnesses to the climate crisis, they are the architects of the solutions,” Lebesa said. “Our collective power lies in collaboration and the courage to influence policy that protects our planet and our people. Our collaboration with youth-led organisations such as KEMNET Networks Lesotho and Lesotho Youth Climate Network highlights the need for youth-led sustainable development and collective climate action.”
Under her stewardship, Plant One Tree continues to inspire environmental action through education, reforestation, and biodiversity restoration. With the support of her fellow Global Center on Adaptation Co-Focal Point Rererile Kamohi and Team, their relentless adaptation efforts set the tone for the day, celebrating action over apathy and partnership over passivity.
The organization’s work is further strengthened by the unwavering support of Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, President of the Global Center on Adaptation and Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, who serves as the main sponsor of Climate Adaptation Action Day. Global Center on Adaptation’s commitment to accelerating adaptation in Africa has made them a beacon of hope for climate resilience initiatives across the continent. GCA’s support underscores the belief that investing in young people is investing in the planet’s future.
The Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day was not merely a conference – it was a conversation with consequence. It connected young people physically and virtually, amplifying voices that too often go unheard in climate policy spaces. The insights and recommendations shared will contribute to Lesotho’s position at COP30 in Brazil, ensuring that youth perspectives influence decisions at the global stage.
“Youth consultations are about ownership,” Lebesa emphasized. “They ensure that the youth of Lesotho are not just beneficiaries of climate policy but authors of their country’s adaptation story.”
The event also showcased the strength of partnerships between government, civil society, and international organizations in advancing climate adaptation. Through open dialogue and knowledge exchange, participants envisioned a Lesotho that leads by example – a nation that plants trees not only in soil, but in hearts and minds.
As the day drew to a close, the energy in the room was not one of exhaustion, but renewal. The young climate advocates reaffirmed their commitment to continue restoring biodiversity, promoting environmental literacy, and championing climate-smart practices in their communities.
“Our generation’s fingerprints must be visible on every climate solution,” said one participant. “To plant one tree is to plant hope and to plant life in order to save one planet.”
The Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day was more than an event, it was a declaration that climate action begins with us. The collective voices of Lesotho’s youth echoed far beyond the walls of the American Corner, carrying with them a promise: to shape a greener, fairer, and more resilient future for all.
