Bridging the Climate Divide with Youth Led Solutions

Photo courtesy of World Bank

Extreme weather is no longer a distant threat; it’s a daily reality in Sri Lanka. Heatwaves scorch the lowlands while landslides tear through hill country villages. As these disasters grow more frequent and intense, young people are left to deal with the falloutincluding missed school days, disrupted livelihoods, rising health risks and fewer opportunities.

At the Climate Youth Forum, hosted by the Sustainable Impact Foundation, students, early career professionals, community organizers and researchers came together to talk solutions. They highlighted the gaps holding youth back – patchy climate education, poor access to early warning systems, weak local implementation and limited funding for youth-led projects.

But they also offered a clear way forward: teach climate and green skills in schools, support nature-based solutions like mangrove restoration and hillside reforestation, give youth a real voice in local decision making and unlock micro grants to help good ideas grow. This isn’t just about climate risk – it’s about giving young people the tools to build a better future.

Despite global momentum on climate action, Sri Lanka faces deep-rooted challenges that limit youth involvement. These include gaps in education, representation, media visibility and access to green careers.

Climate literacy is still treated as optional in many schools. According to UNICEF, most students, especially in rural areas, don’t have access to climate-related knowledge. Urban youth benefit from workshops and online platforms but rural youth, who often face the harshest impacts, are left out. A study in Galle District found that these communities struggle with food insecurity and livelihood disruption yet lack the support to respond effectively.

Youth voices are also missing from national policy. While Sri Lanka sends young delegates to global events like the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP), their role at home is often symbolic. Southern Voice reported in 2023 that institutional barriers prevent youth, especially those from marginalised communities, from shaping climate strategies or accessing funding.

Local youth-led projects like cleanups, mangrove planting and climate art rarely make it into mainstream media. Global youth activists get attention but Sri Lankan efforts often go unnoticed. Even powerful programmes like Educating Girls for ClimateAction struggle to gain visibility.

Green careers are another blind spot. Jobs in sustainability are mostly found in urban areas and rarely reach rural youth. Vocational training and university programmes don’t consistently teach climate skills, leaving young people unprepared for roles in renewable energy, climate-smart farming or environmental policy.

Young people aged 15 to 29 make up nearly a quarter of Sri Lanka’s population. They’re at a turning point – finishing school, starting jobs and shaping their futures. What they learn now will influence the choices they make for decades.

Climate literacy isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. With most Sri Lankans living close to the coast, communities are already feeling the effects of rising seas, stronger storms and unpredictable rainfall. Young people live these realities every day but often lack the tools, platforms and recognition to respond.

When awareness is low, warning signs get missed. Innovation slows down. Advocacy fades. And those most affected stay unheard. Teaching climate across schools, universities and workplaces isn’t just about resilience; it’s about building leadership and preparing the next generation to lead.

So how do we make change stick? It starts with the basics.

Climate education needs to be part of the national curriculum from the start. According to UNESCO, only 53 out of 100 countries include climate change in their school systems. Sri Lanka is one of the many that still treat it as optional. A strong curriculum helps students make informed choices and take action.

Grassroots groups also need more support. These organizations drive change from the ground up but often lack time, money and resources. Support doesn’t have to be just financial – it can be mentorship, training or even volunteering. When young people learn about climate, they’re more likely to get involved and help these movements grow.

There’s also a big disconnect between policymakers and youth. Decisions are made for the future but young people rarely get a say. We need two way conversations and structured programmes that make it easier for youth to contribute.

Sri Lankan youth are already leading the way. From school campaigns to beach cleanups, mangrove restoration and climate art, they’re showing how local action can spark real change. Programmes like those run by ChildFund Sri Lanka have supported dozens of youth-led projects across the country. These small efforts are making a big impact.

Digital platforms are also helping. With access to social media, young people are using reels, podcasts and storytelling to raise awareness and rally support. Projects like Educating Girls for Climate Action show how online tools can empower youth, especially young women, to become climate leaders.

Peer to peer learning is growing too. Youth networks supported by UNICEF and the National Youth Services Council are connecting changemakers across regions. These networks help bridge the urban-rural divide and build skills outside traditional classrooms.

To bring all this together, Sri Lanka could launch a Youth Climate Consortium – a national platform that links youth-led projects, shares resources and ensures youth voices are heard in climate policy. It would strengthen coordination, amplify impact and make sure young people are at the heart of climate solutions.

To make these ideas real, we need support from all sides. The government can lead with policy reform, curriculum updates and funding for youth initiatives. NGOs can train and mentor young people to run their own green projects. Media outlets can spotlight youth voices and make climate knowledge more accessible. Schools and universities can embed climate science and green skills into every subject.

Sri Lanka is at a turning point. Climate risks are rising but so is youth potential. According to UNDP, 96% of the country’s disasters are climate-related. And with nearly a quarter of the population under 30, empowering youth isn’t a side issue; it’s central to building resilience.

The Climate Youth Forum showed what’s possible. Young people are ready to lead but they need better education, more support and a seat at the table. Without reform, we risk sidelining the very generation most affected by climate change.

This isn’t just a call for inclusion; it’s a strategy for survival. If Sri Lanka wants a sustainable, equitable future, it must mobilise its youth not just as participants but as leaders.

Suha Farook, Malisha Munidasa and Zayna Zubair