A Just Transition With and For Youth

This policy brief underscores the critical need for a fair and inclusive shift towards environmentally sustainable economies. It advocates for measures to mitigate adverse impacts on youth while providing them with opportunities for development. Key recommendations include promoting green employment, ensuring access to relevant skills and training, supporting youth entrepreneurship, and establishing comprehensive social protection systems.

Furthermore, the brief highlights the importance of involving youth in decision-making processes to shape sustainable future opportunities. Youth participation can be facilitated through mechanisms such as social dialogue, tripartism, and initiatives like the Green Jobs for Youth Pact. These measures ensure that young people have a voice in crafting policies that affect their futures.

Additionally, the policy brief addresses the challenges that youth face in accessing entrepreneurship opportunities in the green economy. Despite the potential for youth entrepreneurship to drive innovation, young people often encounter significant barriers such as high startup costs, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of financial and mentorship support. Scaling up entrepreneurship-focused measures within Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) is crucial for overcoming these obstacles and fostering a generation of motivated young green entrepreneurs.

In the face of ongoing environmental changes and economic shifts, the brief emphasizes the necessity of robust social protection systems. These systems are vital for ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, and overall well-being as youth navigate the labour market and the economic disruptions associated with the transition to a green economy. By providing a safety net, social protection systems can help youth adapt to changes and thrive in a sustainable future.

Overall, the policy brief calls for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the transition towards environmentally sustainable economies, with a strong focus on empowering youth and ensuring their active participation in shaping their own futures.