Scouts from India and the Philippines are driving youth-led climate action through green skills
Young people across Asia are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, from extreme heat and flooding, to pollution and environmental degradation. As these challenges continue to grow, so does the need for young people to gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities to take action.
Through World Scouting's Green Skills for Youth-Led Climate Action initiative, Scouts in India and the Philippines are gaining practical environmental knowledge and leadership skills to help build more sustainable and climate-resilient communities.
Implemented through EarthTribe and Scouts for SDGs, supported by UNICEF, the initiative enables young people to take an active role in addressing environmental challenges by taking part in activities such as ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, waste management, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience projects.
Cultivating environmental stewardship in communities
In the Philippines, where communities regularly face climate-related disasters and environmental degradation, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines has been implementing Green Skills activities that connect environmental learning with direct community action.
Through initiatives such as “Plant. Grow. Sustain.”, Scouts transformed a coffee farm into a living classroom where participants took part in weeding, mulching, pest inspection, and farm maintenance while learning about sustainable agriculture and ecosystem care.
Meanwhile, “Grow Trees, Brew Hope” linked tree planting activities with sustainable coffee farming, helping participants understand the relationship between environmental conservation and community livelihoods.
Environmental action also extended beyond farms. Through “Eco-Warriors in Action”, Eagle Scouts led clean-up drives in coastal and natural areas during World Environment Day 2025, addressing plastic pollution and promoting responsible environmental practices.
Through these initiatives, Green Skills activities in the Philippines reached nearly 12,000 individuals with learning opportunities on responsible consumption and environmental sustainability, while supporting the planting of approximately 780 trees in participating communities.
To sustain momentum, local council leaders within the broader Green Rising movement continue to strengthen partnerships, exchange practices, and identify ways to integrate green skills more deeply into schools and community-based programs across the country.
Empowering young environmental leaders
In India, the Bharat Scouts and Guides has also been implementing the Green Skills initiatives, equipping young people with practical environmental knowledge while strengthening their ability to lead local sustainability efforts. Programmes have focused on environmental priorities including tree planting, biodiversity conservation, waste management, water and energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.
To ensure lasting impact, young leaders were trained as mentors to Scouts and Guides in environmental project implementation, decision-making, and community mobilisation.
The results have been significant. More than 3,700 individuals so far have taken part in environmental action activities and clean-up drives conducted across rivers, coastlines, and other water bodies. These efforts resulted in the collection of approximately 900 kilograms of marine debris and nearly 1,800 kilograms of solid waste.
Environmental education sessions on sustainability, responsible consumption, and environmental protection reached more than 18,000 community members through both online and in-person face activities.
Growing a generation of climate leaders
While the environmental challenges facing Asia continue to grow in scale and complexity, initiatives such as Green Skills demonstrate the important role young people can play in building more sustainable and climate-resilient communities.
Whether restoring ecosystems in the Philippines or cleaning waterways in India, Scouts are showing that climate leadership goes beyond policy discussions and international forums.
Through Green Skills for Youth-Led Climate Action, Scouting continues to provide opportunities in helping nurture a generation to become a part of the solution.
