The climate emergency is affecting livelihoods across the world, with health and security already at risk due to extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels, and other climate change-induced challenges. These challenges are also posing a threat to the sustainable futures of more than 660 million youth in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The People’s Climate Vote (2021), which is the largest public perception survey on climate change ever conducted, found that compared to other generations, belief that climate change is an emergency, is most common among young people under-18. Over 60 percent of under-18s in all surveyed countries in the Asia-Pacific region believe that climate change is an emergency. At the same time, young people across the region are taking the lead to combat the climate crisis through awareness campaigns, climate strikes and local climate solutions.

In this context and from its unique vantage point in supporting the largest movement of young social entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific region, Youth Co:Lab undertook this research to better understand the catalytic role that the young social entrepreneurs in the AsiaPacific region can play in tackling the climate emergency, and the support they need to amplify the potential impact of their climate actions and solutions.