Enabling Youth Agency in Post-War Green Recoveries

The panel discussion will examine how conflicts simultaneously erode social and ecological systems, and how youth are helping reorient post-war recovery toward integrated models of sustainability, governance reform, and peacebuilding. In countries such as Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, and Palestine, youth-led initiatives are addressing war-related environmental damage — from polluted water and degraded land to destroyed energy infrastructure — while promoting approaches to reconstruction that prioritize inclusion, local ownership, and long-term resilience.

The discussion will connect these experiences to broader agendas of peacebuilding, justice, and just transition — exploring how reconstruction can move beyond infrastructure toward social and ecological renewal. By presenting concrete cases of youth leadership in clean energy, reforestation, and community recovery, the event highlights how rebuilding after war can lay the groundwork for more just and more sustainable futures.