Financing the Future on International Youth Day: Youth in Climate Action

C limate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, with extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting agricultural patterns already reshaping economies and communities. For today’s youth, particularly in developing regions, the stakes are especially high: they will bear the brunt of environmental degradation and the social and economic upheaval it brings. 

But young people are not only on the front lines — they are at the forefront.
They are scientists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders turning ideas into scalable solutions. Across sectors from renewable energy to sustainable agriculture, youth-led enterprises are creating climate-resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and circular economy models that address both immediate risks and long-term sustainability. 

This year’s International Youth Day theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” reflects the mission of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and its partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB). Through initiatives like YouthADAPT, we invest in young entrepreneurs by providing grant funding, mentorship, and training to scale their enterprises and strengthen local climate resilience. 

Why Youth-Led Action Matters

Local youth initiatives are advancing critical Sustainable Development Goals — from Climate Action (SDG 13) and Sustainable Cities (SDG 11) to Clean Water (SDG 6) and Zero Hunger (SDG 2). These are not abstract contributions: 

• Sustainable agriculture projects are improving food security while restoring degraded soils. 
• Renewable energy ventures are replacing diesel generators with solar-powered solutions. 
• Circular economy businesses are reducing waste while creating new income streams.

Yet a fundamental barrier persists: access to finance. Many youth-led enterprises are unable to secure loans from formal financial institutions due to limited business experience, lack of collateral, and small credit histories. This forces them to rely on family savings or informal lenders — options that limit growth and can be exploitative. Globally, the financing gap for SDG-aligned projects is estimated at $2.5–4 trillion annually. 

The private sector’s role is therefore critical — not just as a funding source, but as a partner in building ecosystems that enable youth-led innovation to flourish. 

Strategies to Unlock Private Sector Financing

To bridge the financing gap, youth-led enterprises need:

• Investment-Ready Profiles – Strong business plans that link SDG contributions to measurable adaptation and resilience outcomes, backed by clear financial projections and impact metrics. 
• Blended Finance Mechanisms – Combining public or philanthropic capital with private investment to de-risk projects. Aceli Africa, for example, incentivizes local lenders to finance high-impact agri-SMEs by providing first-loss coverage. 
• Technology and Digital Platforms – Using crowdfunding sites like Kiva or Energise Africa to access retail investors, and digital lending platforms like Flutterwave for alternative credit models. 
• Partnerships and Networks – Engaging with incubators and accelerators such as Village Capital, GSMA Innovation Fund, and Acumen Academy to gain both capital and strategic guidance. 

YouthADAPT: Impact in Action 

GCA, AfDB, and the Climate Investment Funds have already supported 40 youth-led enterprises across 20 African countries, providing each with $100,000 in grant funding, mentorship and training in business development, investor readiness and climate adaptation strategies. The results speak for themselves: 

• Joyce Sikwese, the founder of Green Impact Technologies in Malawi, is using market-driven circular economy models to help smallholder farmers increase productivity and adapt to climate change contributing to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The company produces and distributes organic fertilizer that improves soil fertility, mitigates soil erosion, and reduces floods, ultimately promoting soil health. In addition to selling organic fertilizer, the enterprise provides solar water pumps, which help farmers increase their yields, reduce fuel costs, and minimize their carbon footprint. By distributing climate-smart portable pay-as-you-go solar water pumps, the company is replacing diesel-powered generators that are harmful to the environment. With the help of $1 million in debt financing from the World Bank MEAP, the business has reached over 15,000 people with clean energy technology and has trained over 1,000 youths, women, and the elderly in entrepreneurship and digital skills. 
   
• Rita Idehai, the founder of Ecobater in Nigeria, a mobile application that features community centers for the routine collection of waste from consumers contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption). In exchange for their waste, users receive points that can be redeemed for cash, products, services such as health insurance, or donations to charities. Recently, the company secured additional funding from the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme Equipment Debt Finance in the amount of $44,000. This funding has been crucial in supporting research and development for a new product — an automated machine for the collection of plastic and cans.  
   
• Noel N’guessan, a visionary entrepreneur from Côte d’Ivoire, is the founder of Lono, a groundbreaking local manufacturer specializing in fermentation technology which supports SDG 2 and SDG 7 (Affordable Clean Energy). This innovative technology empowers farmers and entrepreneurs to produce organic fertilizer and energy from waste efficiently. Lono’s revolutionary approach reduces the fermentation time from a lengthy six months to an impressive less than 30 days. Lono has raised an additional $50,000 from the Alphamundi Foundation, which has played a pivotal role in realizing Lono’s expansion plans and enhancing their outreach to smallholder farmers. 
   
• Reham Yahia, a young entrepreneur based in Egypt, founded Baramoda. This innovative company has developed a solution that effectively reduces CO2 emissions by minimizing chemical fertilizers it contributes to SDG 13 and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Their approach helps restore soil affected by climate change and has significant environmental and economic benefits. Baramoda has recently secured an additional $25,000 in funding from private equity investors. 

Scaling the Model 

GCA is now taking this further through the YouthADAPT Dragon’s Den, a landmark initiative creating a platform where youth-led climate enterprises can pitch directly to private investors, venture capitalists and banks, bridging the gap between youth innovation and private capital. The Dragon’s Den format provides youth entrepreneurs with direct access to potential funders while giving investors the opportunity to discover promising climate solutions that contribute to both adaptation and SDG achievement. 

This International Youth Day 2025, the call to action is clear: youth-led innovation is essential for building climate resilience but it needs capital to scale. By unlocking private sector financing, we can turn local ideas into global solutions — and ensure the next generation is equipped not just to survive a changing climate, but to lead the way in shaping a sustainable future. 

The ideas presented in this article aim to inspire adaptation action – they are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Global Center on Adaptation.

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