The Role of Young People in Adaptation Success 

W e often talk about adaptation as a technical process—new infrastructure, climate-proof crops, early-warning systems. But at its heart, adaptation is a story of people, and one vital chapter in that story is being written by young people. As the world gathers in Belém for COP30, the question should not only be what adaptation we do, but who is doing it—and how youth leadership is reshaping what success looks like. 

For too long, finance for adaptation has been framed as charity. But one truth is clear: adaptation isn’t charity, it’s responsibility. Not the responsibility of one country, one summit, or one generation—but a shared responsibility, especially for the generation that will live longest with the consequences: young people. 

The Global Center on Adaptation’s “My Adaptation Solution” Video Competition shows that young people are designing and implementing context-based solutions for the environmental challenges in their communities. They are mobilizing adaptation action at scale and demonstrating that adaptation can be innovative, inclusive and equitable. Young innovators are developing climate-resilient solutions in agriculture, water, education, nature and more. These young leaders don’t wait for external experts—they live the context, understand local knowledge, and build solutions with and for their communities. 

In my country, Cameroon, young people are using education to bridge the gap between climate knowledge and action, engaging in regenerative agriculture to improve yields, producing biogas to address energy shortages, restoring degraded land, and insisting that their voices be heard. Their role is no longer peripheral; it is central. 

The word “success” often conjures images of large infrastructure or big budgets. But for young people working in adaptation, success is equally about justice, inclusion, and ensuring that no one is left behind. It is well known that those historically least responsible for climate change are the most impacted—and young people from those communities have a right to lead solutions. When adaptation is youth-led, especially in vulnerable regions, it tends to look different: locally led, nature-based, respectful of traditional and Indigenous knowledge, and anchored in equality. 

As I said earlier: adaptation finance is not charity; it is responsibility. Young people are increasingly demanding that this finance be fair, accessible, and targeted to where it is most needed. Through networks such as GCA’s Youth Adaptation Network (YAN), we are calling for transparency in how funds flow, for youth inclusion in decision-making, and for climate-resilient jobs and opportunities that centre youth leadership. When young people in Brazil, Kenya or the Philippines say, “We need adaptation jobs, we need training, we need leadership,” it is not about lip service—it is about the future economy, fairness and resilience. 

You may ask, “Do their voices really matter?” Yes, they do—and this should not be up for negotiation. Young people bring fresh perspectives, challenge entrenched ideas, inhabit the digital and social spaces where ideas spread fastest, and bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and new technologies. They are also the generation that will live with the consequences of today’s decisions, making their inclusion essential for legitimacy, effectiveness and intergenerational equity. Adaptation is not only about surviving the challenges of today—it is about preventing new challenges and thriving in a changed world. 

As we gather at COP30 in Belém and look ahead to UNEA-7, young people around the world are ready to lead. From Belém, the Amazon shows us what is possible: a future where nature and humanity thrive together. And the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) reminds us of what is fair: everyone must act, but those with greater responsibility must act first and fastest. Young people are ready, and we will not accept being ignored. We ask decision-makers, funders, communities and civil society to partner with us—to create platforms for youth, invest in youth-led adaptation, and share power so young people can be co-creators of a resilient future. 

To youth everywhere: claim your seat at the table, turn your ideas into action, and build networks of solidarity across continents. We are no longer just the future of adaptation—we are the present. When we act together, with justice, innovation and shared responsibility, we can build a resilient, equitable world. Adaptation is not just about bouncing back; it is about bouncing forward to a future where nature and humanity thrive together. The Amazon shows us what is possible—let every young person in every community help show what will be possible with our collective ambition. 

Let us seize this moment—let us seize the opportunity—and make it a turning point. 
 

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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