Sustainable aspirations and structural limitations

Green entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical pathway for reconciling economic growth with environmental sustainability, particularly in the context of escalating climate change and resource depletion. Yet, despite its transformative potential, the growth of green entrepreneurship in India, especially at the regional levels, remains at a nascent stage, constrained by multiple structural and systemic barriers. This study seeks to identify and analyze the key impediments that hinder the younger generation from pursuing green entrepreneurial ventures. Adopting an exploratory research design, the study draws on primary data collected from 100 professional respondents with an inclination toward green entrepreneurship. Using the Garret Ranking Technique, the research systematically ranks the barriers perceived by respondents. The findings highlight that the absence of dedicated green funds, inadequate institutional support, high investment costs, limited green infrastructure, and low awareness of green technologies are the most pressing obstacles. Also, barriers such as investor hesitancy, domination of non-green industries, lack of R&D, and prevailing perceptions of risk further exacerbate the challenges faced by aspiring green entrepreneurs. The results underscore the paradox of the green entrepreneurship ecosystem while national policies signify strong policy intent, practical accessibility, and regional adaptation remain limited. This study contributes to the limited body of empirical research on green entrepreneurship by offering grounded insights into the barriers at the grassroots level. It emphasizes the urgent need for policy convergence in finance, education, infrastructure, and institutional support to transform youth aspirations into green entrepreneurial action. By addressing these structural limitations, regional economies can harness their demographic dividend to build a resilient green economy where economic competitiveness and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.