The Role of Uzbek Youth in Environmental Sustainability: Current Situation and Challenges

Аннотация

Young people in Uzbekistan today constitute more than a third of the population and are increasingly recognised as indispensable actors in the transition toward environmental sustainability. The article examines how Uzbek youth contribute to climate-smart development through volunteer movements, green start-ups, and policy advocacy, and it analyses the obstacles that still hamper the full realisation of their potential. Relying on a mixed-methods design that includes a literature review, official statistics, and a 2024–2025 qualitative survey of 120 youth eco-activists from five regions, the study elucidates three inter-related dimensions of youth engagement: ecological awareness, behavioural participation, and structural empowerment. Results show that nationwide initiatives such as “Yashil Makon” and the Youth Affairs Agency’s eco-volunteer network have substantially raised environmental literacy and facilitated tree-planting drives and waste-sorting campaigns. However, limited institutional financing, fragmented coordination between government and civil society, and uneven access to green education still restrain scalability. The discussion situates the Uzbek case within global debates on youth-led sustainability and offers policy recommendations that emphasise integrated curricula, participatory budgeting, and inclusive green entrepreneurship. The article concludes that strengthening youth agency is not merely a demographic imperative but a strategic pathway to achieving the country’s climate-resilient and low-carbon development goals.