Across Europe, young people are stepping up to confront one of today’s most urgent challenges — the climate crisis. The EU-funded project LOCALY (Local Capacity and Awareness of Life for Youth) set out to empower 13- to 17-year-olds to become active environmental changemakers within their own communities. By combining creativity, civic engagement, and environmental awareness, LOCALY has shown that when youth are equipped with the right tools and guidance, they can design and deliver meaningful, community-based solutions.
LOCALY aimed to strengthen the capacity of youth organizations through the creation of an innovative educational toolkit specifically tailored to young learners. This resource guided participants through a structured learning path — from exploring local environmental issues and identifying problems to developing, implementing, and evaluating their own initiatives. Through this hands-on approach, young people gained not only environmental knowledge but also essential life and employability skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership.
Implemented by Goethe-Institut Athen (Greece), Ecogenia (Greece), Asociación Biodiversa (Spain), Consorzio Materahub (Italy), and Naturfreundejugend Deutschlands (Germany), the project brought together partners across those 4 Countries to pilot the toolkit, engage communities, and document the outcomes.
From Practice to Policy
The insights captured in the LOCALY Policy Brief and Call to Action stem from two key components: an evaluation of the pilot projects and a multi-country survey of youth and environmental organizations. Together, these sources provide a comprehensive overview of both the impact and the challenges of youth-led environmental work.
The findings reveal a strong readiness for action across Europe. Nearly two-thirds of participating organizations are already engaged in environmental initiatives, and over 65% expressed willingness to collaborate with youth groups. However, many still face barriers such as limited funding opportunities, insufficient local authority support, and staff shortages. Despite these constraints, the evidence highlights that youth-led environmental initiatives are a cost-effective and high-impact strategy for addressing ecological challenges while equipping young people with practical, future-oriented skills.
A Dual Investment in the Future
LOCALY’s partners emphasize that supporting youth in environmental action delivers a dual return on investment: it advances sustainability at the community level while empowering the next generation with the competencies and confidence needed to thrive in a green economy. At a time when Europe is addressing both climate vulnerability and youth unemployment, this model offers an effective, scalable approach to local resilience and innovation.
A Call to Action for Policy-Makers
Drawing on the lessons of the project, LOCALY calls on local, national, and European policy-makers to recognize, formalize, and fund youth-led environmental initiatives as part of Europe’s wider sustainability and inclusion agenda. The Policy Brief recommends:
- Recognizing youth organizations as strategic partners in environmental education and climate policy.
- Increasing investment in local, youth-driven projects that combine ecological impact with employability outcomes.
- Simplifying access to EU and national funding, including entry-level grants and training support.
- Employing and supporting youth workers as mentors in community-based initiatives.
- Establishing civic service schemes that mobilize, train, and compensate young people contributing to environmental goals.
Looking Ahead
Youth-led environmental action is no longer a future aspiration — it is already happening across Europe. What is needed now is sustained recognition and structural support to scale these initiatives and ensure their long-term impact. As the LOCALY partners state, “Young people are not only ready — they are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful environmental change in their communities. But they cannot do it alone.”
By investing in youth leadership, Europe invests in its own sustainable and inclusive future.
