Across Europe, young people are increasingly concerned about the state of the planet, yet they often feel powerless when it comes to taking meaningful action. Climate challenges are visible in our daily lives—extreme weather events, polluted cities, the decline of biodiversity, and the rising costs of energy and resources. At the same time, youth unemployment and economic insecurity remain high in many of our partner countries, creating a double barrier: young people not only struggle to find decent work but also lack the skills and tools to transform their environmental awareness into professional opportunities. For instance, in Romania the youth unemployment rate stood at 26.3 % at the end of 2024, compared to a general unemployment rate of only 5.7 %, showing a sharp disparity. In Italy, despite some improvements, 20.1 % of young people were unemployed in mid-2025, while in Turkey youth unemployment remains above 16 %. In North Macedonia, the youth unemployment rate is persistently high at around 23.6 %, and many young people fall into the NEET category (not in employment, education, or training). Even in Germany, where the general unemployment rate is only 3.7 %, young people still face greater vulnerability than other groups. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, unemployment is relatively low, but surveys reveal that 69 % of young people consider the climate impact of employers an important factor when choosing a job. Eco entrepreneurship emerges as a powerful response to these dual challenges. By connecting sustainability with innovation, it enables young people to design practical solutions that generate income while directly addressing environmental problems. However, despite the potential, eco entrepreneurship is still poorly understood and rarely promoted among young people in smaller towns, rural areas, or communities with fewer opportunities. Many young Europeans are not introduced to sustainable business models, circular economy practices, or the creative possibilities of “green innovation.” The data above clearly demonstrates that while the employment outlook for youth is bleak in several countries, their interest in sustainability and climate action is strong—making this project both timely and necessary. The Eco InnovAction project was created to respond to these gaps. Its aim is to give young people the confidence, knowledge, and entrepreneurial spirit to create their own eco-friendly initiatives and projects. Instead of presenting climate change only as a problem, we want to frame it as an opportunity for creativity, innovation, and social impact. Project objectives: • To build participants’ understanding of eco entrepreneurship as a pathway that combines sustainable living with economic independence. • To equip young people with concrete tools to design, plan, and communicate eco business ideas that are realistic and impactful. • To foster innovation by exploring creative approaches such as upcycling, sustainable product design, and green digital solutions. • To promote intercultural dialogue and cooperation, showing how environmental challenges are shared across Europe and require collective, cross-border solutions. • To inspire participants to become multipliers in their own communities, sharing the knowledge gained and motivating peers to take part in eco innovation. • To strengthen participants’ digital and communication skills so they can effectively present, promote, and scale their eco business ideas in the modern marketplace. • To encourage long-term collaboration between partner organisations, supporting at least two follow-up initiatives that expand the impact of eco entrepreneurship at the European level. • To increase participants’ knowledge of the Erasmus+ Programme and support them in developing YouthPass competences, ensuring recognition of their learning outcomes and motivating them for future mobility opportunities. Through a mix of non-formal education, creative workshops, and collaborative teamwork, Eco InnovAction seeks not only to raise awareness but also to empower young people to act. By the end of the project, participants will leave with practical experience, a stronger sense of agency, and concrete ideas that can be developed further at local and European level. In this way, the project connects personal development, environmental responsibility, and employability, making it directly relevant for the future of young people and their communities.The world is facing an urgent and complex challenge in combating climate change. Human activities over the past two centuries—particularly the burning of fossil fuels and unsustainable production patterns—have caused global warming at a rate unprecedented in history. The consequences are visible worldwide: frequent droughts, destructive wildfires, floods, rising sea levels, melting ice, biodiversity loss, and deteriorating public health and food security. These environmental pressures are now directly affecting young people’s da