From Classrooms to Entrepreneurship: Inspiring the Next Generation of Land Action to COP31
From Classrooms to Entrepreneurship: Inspiring the Next Generation of Land Action to COP31
At COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, the G20 Global Land Initiative is exploring how education and youth entrepreneurship can equip the next generation to turn land restoration ambition into action.
What does it take to turn global commitments on land restoration into action?
It takes policies, financing and partnerships. But it also takes engaging and inspiring the next generation: teachers bringing environmental challenges into their classrooms, students exploring solutions in their communities, and young entrepreneurs developing businesses that contribute to restoring our planet.
This is one of the key messages the G20 Global Land Initiative is bringing to the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
Through a series of activities before and during the conference, the Initiative is highlighting two complementary approaches to engaging the next generation in land restoration: Land Action Labs, developed in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and its Global Schools programme, and the Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO), a joint initiative with the International Trade Centre (ITC).
From classrooms to businesses restoring land, both programmes recognize that achieving restoration at scale requires investment in knowledge, skills and opportunities to take action.
Starting with education: Land Action Labs in Türkiye
Ahead of COP31, the G20 Global Land Initiative and SDSN brought Land Action Labs to Istanbul through two days of workshops connecting environmental education with practical land action. Organized in collaboration with SDSN Türkiye, SDSN Global Schools and Uğur Okulları, the activities brought together educators and students to explore ways of integrating land restoration into everyday learning.
The first day, hosted at Boğaziçi University, brought together more than 120 educators to explore how land restoration, biodiversity and climate change can be connected to education and classroom learning. The discussions highlighted the important role educators play in helping young people understand environmental challenges and develop the knowledge and skills to address them.
The second day, held at Uğur Okulları, shifted the focus to students, who explored the connections between land, water and their everyday surroundings through interactive activities.
From elementary school students sharing their perspectives on environmental challenges to high school students exploring water management and ways to improve their school grounds, the workshops demonstrated how global environmental issues are rooted in local realities and can be addressed through practical solutions.
Building on these activities, Land Action Labs continued its engagement at COP31 in Antalya.
On 10 November, Land Action Labs was featured in the COP31 Green Zone during a dedicated session sharing experiences from Türkiye and exploring how education can contribute to action across the three Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity and desertification.
The following day, the G20 Global Land Initiative joined the Children and Youth Pavilion for a panel titled, The Classroom Is Everywhere, alongside representatives from SDSN Global Schools, Triharmony Climate Network, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Education and Science, and Zamin International Public Foundation. The discussion explored how connecting climate education with local realities can help young people develop practical skills, take initiative and contribute to action in their communities. The Initiative shared experiences from Land Action Labs, highlighting the role of education in building the next generation of land stewards.
A central message throughout these exchanges was that environmental education is not only about preparing young people for the future. It is also about creating opportunities for them to understand and contribute to solutions today.
With applications now open for the Land Action Labs school cohort, the programme is looking to build on these experiences and engage more schools and educators in connecting environmental learning with practical action.
Young entrepreneurs bring land restoration into the climate conversation
Education is one pathway to engaging the next generation. Entrepreneurship is another.
Through the Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO), the G20 Global Land Initiative and ITC support young entrepreneurs developing businesses that contribute to environmental sustainability, including solutions addressing land degradation and restoration.
At COP31, YECO participants are bringing their experiences and business solutions into discussions on climate action, innovation and sustainable development.
Their work demonstrates that land restoration is not only an environmental priority but also an opportunity to develop innovative business models, create livelihoods and contribute to more sustainable economies.
Throughout the conference, young ecopreneurs are participating in discussions with representatives from international organizations, the private sector and other stakeholders.
These engagements offer an opportunity to showcase their solutions while also highlighting the challenges young entrepreneurs face in growing their businesses, including in accessing finance, markets, technical expertise and partnerships.
Innovation and technology are also an important part of this conversation. On 11 November, the G20 Global Land Initiative participated in a side event titled, Fighting Climate-Induced Ecosystem Decline with Innovation and Technology, organized by WIPO GREEN, an initiative of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The discussion provided an opportunity to share experiences from YECO and highlight how young entrepreneurs are developing innovative solutions that contribute to addressing land degradation and ecosystem decline.
As a YECO partner, WIPO brings expertise in intellectual property, helping entrepreneurs understand how to protect and develop their innovations. The collaboration also reflects the importance of connecting technological solutions with the knowledge, the networks and the support needed to bring them to scale.
For the G20 Global Land Initiative, these exchanges reinforce an important message: supporting land restoration entrepreneurship goes beyond recognizing promising ideas. It requires creating opportunities for young businesses to access the tools, partnerships and resources they need to grow and expand their impact.
For the G20 Global Land Initiative, bringing these voices to COP31 is an important part of connecting global environmental ambition with the people already developing practical solutions around the world.
Looking ahead: Continuing the conversation during COP31
As COP31 enters its second week, the G20 Global Land Initiative will continue engaging in discussions that connect land restoration with climate action, youth leadership, innovation and investment.
Upcoming activities include opportunities to highlight the role of young changemakers in connecting action across the Rio Conventions, as well as discussions focused on entrepreneurship, investment and the partnerships needed to bring sustainable solutions to scale.
On 16 November, a Rio Changemakers engagement will provide an opportunity to explore how young people are addressing interconnected environmental challenges, recognizing that action on climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation cannot happen in isolation.
Further engagements on 18 November will bring attention to the importance of connecting innovative ideas and businesses with financing, technical support and networks that can help them grow.
For the Initiative, these conversations are closely connected to the work of both YECO and Land Action Labs.
While the programmes engage young people at different stages, they share a common objective: helping the next generation turn awareness and ideas into meaningful action.
Beyond COP31: Opportunities to get involved
The conversations at COP31 are important, but the work continues beyond the conference.
Two opportunities are currently open for those interested in contributing to land restoration through education and entrepreneurship.
The Youth Ecopreneur Programme 2026/27
Applications for YECO 2026/27 are open until 22 November 2026.
The programme invites young entrepreneurs developing businesses that contribute to environmental sustainability, including those working on land restoration, to apply for opportunities to strengthen their ventures through capacity building, mentorship and business development support.
Through its Green Business and Land Restoration tracks, YECO aims to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their business journeys and help connect their innovations with the networks and opportunities they need to grow.
Land Action Labs – School Cohort
Applications are also open until 30 November 2026 for the Land Action Labs school cohort, inviting schools to become part of an initiative connecting environmental education with practical land action.
Building on the experiences in Türkiye, the programme aims to support educators and students in exploring land-related challenges and developing opportunities for learning and action within their educational environments.
Together, these open calls offer two ways to contribute to land restoration: by equipping young people with environmental knowledge and skills, and by supporting those turning innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.
Land restoration cannot be achieved by any single sector or generation. It requires collaboration, knowledge sharing, investment and the participation of people at every level.
The challenge now is to ensure that these efforts have the support, partnerships and opportunities they need to grow.
