Youth engagement in the IKI

A young woman wearing a baseballcap carries a bagpack with a seedling

Youth as a driving force for a sustainable future

Young people are greatly affected by climate change and biodiversity loss and are campaigning worldwide for a just and sustainable future. The age group of 15 to 30-year-olds currently accounts for 1.8 billion people, or 23 per cent of the world's population. 90 per cent of these young people live in middle or low-income countries. Despite this, their voices often go unheard, and their potential remains untapped. Yet their ideas, knowledge, skills, and commitment are essential for tackling today's and tomorrow's global challenges.

The IKI approach

Climate and biodiversity protection are more successful, sustainable and equitable when they involve and empower young people. This is why IKI promotes cooperation between and with young people within the framework of projects and their activities. This includes, among other things, the education, training and awareness-raising of young people, the promotion of networks and cooperation as well as measures for the participation of young people in political decision-making processes.

Photo stories

Two young indigenious women stand in a greenhouse between cucumber plants

In Guatemala, the IKI supports young indigenous farmers practising ecological and climate-resilient agriculture.

To the photo story from Guatemala

El Salvador is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Five young people share their vision of the future and what motivated them to shift from indifference to action on climate change.

To the photo story from El Salvador

Contact

Anyone interested in finding out more about the participation of young people in IKI projects is invited to contact iki-youth(at)z-u-g.org.

Selected projects

Selected partners

UNDP Climate Promise

NDC Partnerschaft

IKI YEAH

In the "Youth Empowerment and Action Highlight" series - IKI YEAH for short - we present successful measures from IKI projects that empower young people to get involved in sustainable change.

The activities presented range from environmental education for young people in Ukraine to horticultural training in Kiribati and water analyses in India.

A group of people sit in a circle in a carpeted conference room with a chandelier overhead. They are holding a web of interconnected strings that stretches across their hands and knees. The atmosphere appears friendly and focused, possibly part of a team-building activity or group workshop.

08/01/2025

Building skills and confidence for young climate leaders

A woman wearing a turquoise shirt and white skirt stands outdoors holding up a plastic bottle filled with waste, speaking to a small group. In the background are a thatched-roof structure, a planted half oil drum on a metal stand, and a bowl of soil. Two other women and a man with a phone are observing her.

08/01/2025

Empowering young women in Kiribati through horticulture training

Several girls are walking on a narrow path through a lush green forest. The person in the foreground is wearing a pink backpack and a shiny jacket, following others in the same direction. Trees and dense greenery surround the path.

08/01/2025

Innovative outdoor learning in Ukrainian protected areas

A group of seventeen people poses outdoors under a large leafy tree, with dappled sunlight filtering through the branches. Eight people are kneeling or sitting in the front row, while nine stand behind them, all smiling warmly. The group is casually dressed, and the setting appears to be a relaxed, sunny environment with greenery and a bright blue wall in the background.

08/01/2025

Student competition drives climate adaptation in Mérida

A group of people, including men and women, gather outdoors on a sunny day around a silver bucket of water. Two men are kneeling and measuring water quality with a device, while others watch or film with a smartphone. In the background, a woman holds a parasol.

08/01/2025

Training youth for freshwater conservation in Northeastern India

IKI Brown Bag Lunch

On 3 September 2024, an IKI Brown Bag Lunch was held on the topic "Empowering Youth – Maximizing Impact: Youth empowerment as a building block for effective climate and biodiversity action". The presentation slides from the event are available for download here.