In Cheptais, traditional land ownership patterns were found to exclude young people from environmental projects. "Youth rarely own land, and this limits their ability to engage in climate mitigation efforts," the report notes.
It also observes that "young women are barely involved in environmental initiatives in Mount Elgon due to social expectations and traditional gender roles."
Despite the challenges, the report highlights emerging opportunities through national tree-planting campaigns, NGO partnerships, and community-based organisations.
To boost youth engagement, YILAA recommends targeted climate justice education through schools, social media, and community radio, as well as the creation of county-level climate action funds accessible to youth groups.
It also calls for youth-friendly land tenure policies and the formation of a Bungoma County Youth Climate Action Network to connect young environmental champions.