There could not be a more timely moment to commemorate the impactful youth movement than Youth Pledge Day on Oct. 28, which reminds the young generations of Indonesia to revamp their contributions to this country and planet.

On Oct. 28, 1928, youth representatives from many islands of the then-Dutch East Indies vowed to recognize only “one Indonesian motherland, one Indonesian people, and one Indonesian language”. It was a patriotic and symbolic response by the youth to show their leadership in addressing challenges during that era.

The challenges faced by millennials and Generation Z are enormous. We have a decade to cut global emissions to avoid catastrophic warming of our planet. Biodiversity, the very foundation of our biosphere, societies and economies, is declining at an unprecedented rate in the planet’s history. We have managed to push the processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth system (“planetary boundaries”, as coined by leading scientists) beyond its capacities.

These scientists argue that if we cross more of these boundaries, we increase the risk of generating irreversible environmental changes. If we can maintain a healthy planet, however, we surely can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come.

Transitioning to a regenerative and ecologically resilient economy offers immense opportunities. The World Economic Forum in a recent report highlights how a new nature economy can lead to business value creation of US$10 trillion and create over 390 million jobs by 2030, and the youth is the engine of this transition.

This transition is happening now. Youth-led, eco-responsible businesses are proliferating across the nation.

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