If you or a group of young people are under 35 years old and are implementing a project, initiative, program or other activity that addresses climate change mitigation or adaptation with a focus on one of the two areas outlined below, we would like to hear from you. 

Youth award on energy transition: The youth energy award will recognize innovative work on energy transition and equity by an individual youth or group of young people. 

Youth award on nature and eco-system based climate action: This award will recognize nature and eco-system based activities to address climate adaption and/or mitigation, as well as issues of equity conducted by an individual youth or group of young people in indigenous and/or local communities. 

The Global Climate Action Award seeks to support youth by raising awareness of their work, providing a platform from which to share their priorities and knowledge, and helping them to further develop their capacities. 

Award winners will therefore receive:  

• UN Climate Change Award certificate presented at a special awards event at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)  

• Travel, daily allowance, to participate in COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in the UAE 

• Opportunities to network and present work to policymakers during the UN Climate Change Conference. 

• A video produced about their initiative and distributed to the media 

• Dedicated webpage on the UN Climate Change website 

• Participation in relevant speaking arrangements throughout 2024 

• Year-long mentoring programme tailored to the needs of each winner 

The mentoring programme is intended to empower the selected winners to build upon their current achievements by providing a year’s worth of mentoring in priority areas specified by the winners. These may include developing further capacity in advocacy, communications, technical solutions, and/or accessing financing, for example.  

Applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: 

Youth award on energy transition:  

• A project, initiative, program or other activity (led or implemented by young people up to 35 years of age); 

• Demonstrating renewable energy and/or energy efficiency outcomes; 

• Locally led and/or community focused; 

• Utilising elements of education, training, and/or public awareness to achieve goals;  

• Addressing issues of equity in the community; and 

• Be already implemented, or in the course of implementation. 

Youth award on nature and eco-system based climate action:  

• A project, initiative, program or other activity (led or implemented by young people up to 35 years of age) in indigenous or local communities; 

• Demonstrated activities designed to increase natures’ resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions, including through nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches, while minimizing negative and fostering positive impacts of climate action on biodiversity; and/or 

• Demonstrated efforts to restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services...through nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches for the benefit of all people and nature; 

• Incorporating elements of public awareness, public participation, and/or public access to information to achieve its goals; 

• Addressing issues of equity in the community; and 

• Be already implemented, or in the course of implementation. 

Access the application form

Applications must be completed online by midnight Central European Time on October 15, 2023.