How young people in the Arab States region are shaping climate action

An article by ShababEEK— UNDP Regional Youth Team

November 13, 2024

Impacts of climate change are among the greatest threats facing the world today, causing widespread suffering and particularly affecting the most vulnerable. In the Arab States, these consequences are taking a significant toll, with temperatures rising faster than the global average, and projections of a 5°C increase by 2100 (1). Already the world’s driest, the region faces acute water scarcity, with 14 out of the 20 most water-stressed countries. Droughts, exacerbated by these conditions, have disrupted livelihoods and depleted natural resources, while ongoing crises and conflicts worsen ecosystem destruction, increase pollution, and delay recovery efforts. Millions in the region now face the prospect of climate-induced displacement in the coming decades.

Resource scarcity driven by climate impacts has fueled conflicts and social unrest. Armed conflicts contribute at least 5.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which, if conflicts were classified as a single country (2), would make them the fourth-largest emitter globally. The ongoing war in Gaza illustrates this reality: the carbon footprint generated in the first two months of the conflict exceeded that of the 20 most vulnerable countries facing the impacts of the climate crisis (3).

Despite bearing the brunt of climate change, the Arab States receive the lowest levels of climate finance globally, limiting their capacity to address mounting challenges. As COP29 convenes, the need for more climate finance is urgent. The Arab region’s needs are estimated at $600 billion by 2030, yet only $34.5 billion was allocated from 2010 to 2020. Substantial increases in funding are critical for the Arab States to support climate resilience and sustainable development, especially for adaptation needs often left unmet.

“Climate change, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity are already undermining development progress in the Arab States region—exacerbating inequalities, eroding social cohesion, and precipitating new threats to public health, peace and security. Increasing investment in clean energy and climate resilience will bring multiple benefits, not just for climate change mitigation and adaptation, but for job creation and social inclusion as well.”

Abdallah Al Dardari,

UN Assistant Secretary-General and
Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States, UNDP.

Youth as Creative Agents of Climate Action in the region

Young people in the Arab States region are among those most affected by the climate crisis, and 52 percent of youth have expressed worry about the global impacts of climate change, in a recent global survey (4). At the same time, young people are emerging as key drivers of climate action, advancing innovative solutions, advocating for policy reforms, and pushing for accountability. However, barriers still limit their participation. Globally, only 31 percent of the second generation of country commitments under the Paris Agreement, also known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) involve youth, and just 24 percent are youth- and child-sensitive (5).

Young people in the Arab States region persist in their efforts to have a meaningful role in driving the climate agenda, despite the obstacles they face in accessing resources and being heard and included in climate decisions—as they face limited opportunities and platforms for engagement, tokenism in decision-making, and limited access to data. Marginalized groups, including youth in conflict zones, young women, and those with disabilities, face additional barriers.

Despite these challenges, young people continue advocating for a role in shaping climate solutions and remain committed to influencing national climate policies and shaping future solutions to mitigate climate impacts. From solar energy projects to local policy and adaptation measures, young people are proactively advocating for future solutions concerning climate impact on their day-to-day lives.

Profiles of youth-led climate action in the Arab States region

In June 2024, UNDP and the Arab Youth Center launched the Youth Engagement in NDCs initiative, to promote youth involvement in national climate policy reform. In five pilot countries, including Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Yemen, the initiative will allow youth to provide recommendations to relevant ministries to influence their countries’ NDCs 3.0 revisions for 2025. These revisions target ambitious 2035 emissions reduction goals and climate resilience aligned with the 1.5°C warming limit. Through capacity-building and dialogue with policymakers, the initiative empowers youth as key stakeholders in climate governance, ensuring that policies address future generations' needs.

“Through the Youth engagement in NDCs initiative, I gained a deeper understanding of how youth perspectives bring innovative solutions to climate issues, and it has reinforced my role as both a technical contributor and a youth advocate. I now feel more empowered to voice youth-driven solutions and ensure that climate commitments reflect the priorities and ideas of younger generations.”

Mohammad Yousef Mustafa Abu-Dari (26 years) from Jordan

Across the region, youth-led innovations are making strides in climate resilience, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental awareness.

In Egypt, Rania Rafie’s Up-Fuse initiative addresses waste management by upcycling plastic into sustainable products, supported by municipal authorities in Cairo.

In Gaza, civil engineer Majd Mashharawi’s Sunbox solar energy project provides reliable electricity during frequent outages, helping underserved areas achieve energy resilience.

The Arab Youth Climate Movement in Tunisia promotes renewable energy adoption, with backing from local governments to incorporate solar solutions into community development plans.

The Youth for Climate Morocco network helps in mentoring young leaders to advocate for waste reduction and renewable energy projects within municipal services.

In Iraq, the Green Hands Volunteer Team organizes tree-planting events and water conservation awareness campaigns, enhancing urban green cover and addressing water pollution in agriculture.

In Djibouti’s Kalaf village, youth activists are addressing invasive Prosopis trees, which deplete groundwater resources. They remove these trees and replace them with agricultural gardens and native species, supporting biodiversity and sustainable landscapes.

UNDP also supports promising youth-led initiatives, which are making strides in climate resilience, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental awareness.

In Lebanon, Hiba Mikhael and Elya Rizk founded CIRCL to incentivize waste recycling by exchanging waste for cash. Their facility features a spacious recycling site powered by solar energy, along with improved infrastructure that enhances labor conditions. It has become a model for sustainable waste management in marginalized communities.

“Winning the UNDP-organized competition was a turning point for us, granting us the incredible opportunity to attend COP28. This international exposure provided us a platform to showcase our innovative projects and build partnerships that could amplify our impact. We are proud to be ambassadors of positive change, representing not just Akkar, but also the potential of startups to drive sustainable development and gender equality on a global scale.”

Hiba and Elya (CIRCL).

Jodoor is a network of modern, ecological franchised farms, specialists in high-quality leafy vegetables and aromatic herbs in Africa and the Middle East. It provides soilless farms that enable small and medium farmers to achieve sustainable revenues while reducing labor intensity, allowing more women to take an active role in the sector. The startup addresses issues of water scarcity and high exploitation costs, helping farmers mitigate vulnerability.
Watch the Jodoor Video

Youth Policy Priorities for COP29: A Call for Greater Inclusion and Long-Term Commitment

As COP29 convenes, youth voices are increasingly critical. The Global Youth Statement, launched in October 2024, represents the collective call from youth worldwide for decisive climate action. The statement emphasizes the urgency of addressing climate challenges, particularly for communities most affected by climate change who lack representation in decision-making rooms.

The 2024 Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) MENA, held in September 2024 in Amman, gathered over 250 young people, officials, climate experts, and civil society representatives to set policy priorities for COP29. The resulting Regional Youth Policy Statement calls for comprehensive policies addressing the (1) climate-conflict nexus; (2) climate migration; (3) climate adaptation and resilience; (4) climate finance and justice; (5) health and human rights in climate justice; (6) energy-water-food security, and (7) youth empowerment. Youth demand policies that recognize climate change’s interconnected challenges and prioritize comprehensive, actionable solutions.

Young people in the Arab States region are ready to engage in climate action, yet structural barriers continue to limit their impact. The 2024 RCOY MENA Policy Statement calls for formal avenues for youth participation at COP29 and beyond, to ensure their perspectives are incorporated into climate action.

To realize these goals, UNDP urges stakeholders to take the following steps:

Institutionalize youth representation in climate decision-making.
Create sustainable funding for youth-led initiatives.
Formalize youth-government partnerships.
Establish youth-inclusive monitoring systems.

Youth across the Arab States region have shown they can contribute to innovative solutions to climate challenges and these actions represent a roadmap for integrating youth not only as contributors but as essential partners in implementing climate commitments post-COP29. Institutionalizing youth roles and securing sustainable funding, particularly for adaptation and resilience, is essential. As COP29 convenes, and the New Collective Quantified Goal calling for $100 billion annually for developing countries by 2025, sustained investment in youth-led climate action is vital.

UNDP is committed to this roadmap, and through the UNDP ShababEEK platform, the Nextgenyouth platform, we will continue sharing insights, and updates on how young changemakers are influencing climate action.

[1] Khoday, K. (2022, March). How is the Arab States region scaling up climate action? https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/how-arab-states-region-scaling-climate-action

[2] Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) and the Conflict and Environment Observatory

(CEOBS) (2022, November). Estimating the Military’s Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

[3] Lakhani, N. (2024, January). Emissions from Israel’s war in Gaza have ‘immense’ effect on climate catastrophe | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/emissions-gaza-israelhamas-war-climate-change

[4] UNDP Peoples' Climate Vote initiative. https://peoplesclimate.vote

[5] https://www.unicef.org/media/130081/file/Child-sensitive%20Climate%20Policies%20For%20Every%20Child.pdf