Across the globe, 698 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35 live in fragile and conflict-affected settings, according to the United Nations (UN). Conflict has a unique impact on young people. Youth in conflict zones often struggle to obtain education, and in some cases are pressured or forced to join armed groups. However, youth also have the potential to create powerful change.
In May 2025, the 2025 Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Thematic Review on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) was launched. The report was commissioned by the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF and Climate Security Mechanism, and led by the UN University’s Centre for Policy Research. It outlines programmatic best practices and lessons on youth participation in peacebuilding, based on examples from 41 Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)-funded projects in 33 countries and territories from 2018 to 2022.
One of the cohort of projects is dedicated to youth engagement in climate, peace, and security (CPS) and environmental peacebuilding. It examines 12 initiatives in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Honduras, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Somalia.
The review stated that there are many reasons to look at the intersection of youth and climate change in the peacebuilding space. These reasons include the particular vulnerabilities that youth may face due to climate change, as well as particular opportunities that youth engagement in climate adaptation and mitigation may create. Despite this, the report noted, programming at the intersection of youth and climate change is still very much a “new and emerging area.” During an initial review and selection process for projects for the review sample, only a couple of the 153 PBF-supported projects examined had a direct linkage with both youth and climate change.
Still, youth-involved programming in climate-related and environmental peacebuilding is gaining traction. In Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, young people were the primary actors involved in artisanal mining, which was the centre of environmental peacebuilding projects. In community dialogues for one such project, youth representatives raised the issue of climate change and its impact. Elders in the community tended to blame issues such as declining crop yields, lack of pastureland for animals, declining arable land, and conflicts and tensions to “the will of the gods.” However, youth pointed to climate change linked to the burning of fossil fuel.
An implementing partner who observed the project said, “Youth had a level of sophistication and awareness of the environmental impact of climate change that was surprising.”
In a project in the Lake Chad basin, which initially was not climate-related, youth proposed a major reforestation initiative in their area, and took a great interest in adopting sustainable strategies.
The project that most directly explored the mutual benefits of supporting climate adaptation and peacebuilding was organized in the Gambia. In this project, 12 communities experiencing tension around land and natural resources came together to do activities involving trust-building, alternative resources, joint cleanups, and reforestation initiatives. The goal was to reduce the impact of climate change and social conflict by bringing communities together in adaptation practices, and making them aware of the peace and security implications of climate change. Participants called the initiative “transformative,” and an evaluation said it brought about government and community awareness and cooperation.
The review’s findings showed that climate, peace and security, and environmental peacebuilding programming can offer opportunities for youth inclusion, and demonstrate the importance of socio-economic and livelihood strategies that address the core of community needs. This programming can strengthen conflict prevention dividends and make local climate adaptation work more conflict-sensitive. The review recommends greater piloting of youth-centered natural resource management programming, specifically focusing on young people’s role in climate adaptation, as well as in other environmental and natural resources-related conflict prevention.
Keywords: youth, climate change, security, UN, United Nations, peace, conflict, conflict resolution, climate conflict
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is a journalist in Bangkok. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
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