Climate change ranks among the most important dynamics shaping livelihoods of young people now and in the future. This is especially the case in low income countries with rapid population growth, and hence high concentrations of young people.
Investments targeting rural youth need to address climate for two simple reasons: the success and sustainability of efforts to create jobs for young people will depend on the future climate (as well as myriad other uncertainties in the economic and policy environments); and today’s youth will bear the costs of failure throughout their lifetimes.
Climate change is a youth issue because most countries in which the youth population accounts for a sizeable share of the total population also depend heavily on agriculture – a sector that is highly exposed to climate change.
