Building Climate Resilience in Central Asia Through Youth and Education Reform

The World Bank’s 2025 flagship report charts a new course for climate action in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Developed in collaboration with AnchorEd LLC, the University of Central Asia (UCA), and a network of national universities, including Nazarbayev University, Khorog State University, Naryn State University, and the National University of Uzbekistan, the study offers a compelling model for linking youth education with environmental restoration. Through a three-year pilot under the Resilient Landscapes Central Asia (RESILAND CA) program, it presents a blueprint for empowering rural youth as climate entrepreneurs through school-university partnerships.

Across Central Asia, the environmental threats are urgent and mounting. Land degradation, driven by overgrazing, deforestation, and inefficient water use, now affects more than 20 percent of the region’s surface, and glacial melt threatens long-term water security. Cities suffer from alarming air quality, with PM2.5 levels reaching up to 12 times above WHO limits, while the collapse of ecosystems like the Aral Sea underscores the risks of unchecked irrigation. Yet despite these challenges, climate education remains marginalized in national adaptation strategies and underfunded in climate financing.

The Missing Link: Education in Climate Policy

The report argues that one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools in climate mitigation and adaptation is education. Not merely in academic terms, but as a means to drive behavioral change, cultivate green skills, and nurture a new generation of local problem solvers. Yet the educational systems in these countries, particularly in rural and border regions, remain outdated and under-resourced. Soviet-era pedagogies still dominate classrooms, and while elementary enrollment is high, quality gaps persist, especially where infrastructure is lacking. Many schools lack reliable electricity, sanitation, or internet connectivity. Teachers are underpaid and undertrained. This is particularly problematic as the majority of Central Asia’s population still lives in rural areas.

At the same time, youth unemployment is high and growing, especially among the 15–24 age group, with many young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). For young women, the barriers are even steeper, cultural norms, limited mobility, and systemic gender gaps in education and finance often keep them out of higher education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Nevertheless, across the region, youth demonstrate strong climate awareness and enthusiasm to act, if only given the tools and pathways.

Workshops in Rural Schools Spark Local Action

The centerpiece of the report is a hands-on pilot study involving 19 rural schools and eight universities, where nearly 400 students took part in workshops and innovation “launchpads” designed and led by 28 university interns. These interns, trained in climate science, entrepreneurship, and facilitation, worked with younger peers to identify local environmental problems and co-create potential business solutions. Workshops included project-based learning, human-centered design, and team challenges. Data collected from pre- and post-activity surveys showed a sharp increase in climate literacy, entrepreneurial self-confidence, and belief in peer-driven change.

Participants developed creative, locally relevant ideas, many of which were pitched to expert panels. Examples included robotic river-cleaning devices, recycled clothing startups using Kyrgyz design motifs, school-based plastic collection banks, and solar-powered irrigation systems. Some projects received microfunding, allowing for prototype development and community engagement. According to teacher feedback, the workshops had an emotional as well as educational impact, giving students from remote schools “a sense of belonging to something bigger,” and in many cases, their first exposure to interactive, student-led learning.

Country Case Studies Highlight Unique Needs and Strengths

Each of the four countries studied has a distinct policy environment and set of opportunities. In Kazakhstan, government frameworks like Strategy 2050 and the 2022 social entrepreneurship law provide strong foundations, yet much of the investment remains concentrated in urban centers. Kyrgyzstan shows promise in building multi-stakeholder networks, including schools, universities, civil society, and the private sector, but needs more vocational alignment and private-sector collaboration. Tajikistan faces the greatest infrastructural and financial challenges, particularly in remote mountain areas, but recent World Bank grants and new education policies show potential for system-wide reform. Uzbekistan, with over 60% of its population under age 30, is rapidly expanding its higher education system and investing in youth-focused green innovation through institutions like the new Central Asian Green University.

Despite these national differences, common threads emerge: underutilized HEIs, limited rural infrastructure, and the need to scale practical, inclusive, climate-resilient entrepreneurship education. The report suggests that cross-border collaboration, particularly through university partnerships, could be a game-changer for regional development.

A Circular Vision for a Greener Future

The report concludes with a comprehensive roadmap calling for an integrated, circular model where education, youth entrepreneurship, and climate action are mutually reinforcing. It urges governments to revise curricula to embed climate science and green skills from the primary level up. Teachers must be empowered through modern, student-centered pedagogies. Universities should act as incubators of innovation and connection. Rural schools, in turn, can serve as local hubs for environmental awareness and enterprise development. Gender-inclusive ecosystems must be supported through targeted funding, mentorship, and policy reform.