Credit: UNFCCC

Are you aged 15–32 with an inspiring story on a youth-led climate adaptation initiative that has made a tangible impact in your community? The Adaptation Committee (AC) invites you to participate in Youth Leading Adaptation 2025, a poster contest celebrating young leaders driving climate adaptation and resilience.

To mark International Youth Day 2025, the AC has launched this contest to document and showcase successful youth-led adaptation projects. The initiative aligns with the International Youth Day theme "Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond" and reflects AC's recognition of youth as agents of change and essential partners for addressing adaptation challenges.

The competition is open to individuals aged 15–32 who have led or co-led adaptation initiatives with demonstrated community impact. Participants must submit digital posters documenting their projects, including the climate challenge addressed, the solution implemented, measurable outcomes achieved, and broader contributions to community resilience.

The contest seeks to elevate youth voices, promote peer learning, and showcase how youth-led efforts strengthen adaptation and resilience while advancing the goals of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. Selected posters will be showcased to inspire action and inform discussions on youth engagement in climate adaptation.

Participation details:

• Who: Youth ages 15–32, anywhere in the world (individuals or teams up to 5).
• Consent: If under 18, submit with parent/guardian consent.
• Fee: No entry fees.
• Entry window: Opens 12 August 2025, 12:00 CEST — deadline: 30 September 2025, 12:00 CEST.
• One entry per person/team.
• What: One-page poster on an inspiring story of a youth-led adaptation initiative.
• The poster may be hand-drawn/painted (scan or photo), use mixed media, or created digitally. Keep it original; no photographs as the main artwork.
• Posters may include short text. Keep copy concise and free of personal data.
• Generative AI images are not allowed. You may use AI for ideation or light editing only; if used, briefly disclose how. 

Submission instructions:

• Send your submissions to ac@unfccc.int with the subject line: Youth Leading Adaptation 2025_poster_name.
• In the email body, include: name; affiliation; email; phone (optional); in case of group submissions, list group members and roles.
• Attach: One-page poster (PDF, PPT, Word, JPG, JPEG, PNG). Name the file: [Country][Project][Name]_Poster.
• Each poster should be accompanied by a brief description including: title and location; description of adaptation challenge; youth-led initiative/action; impact (in numbers or some concrete outcomes); planned next steps for the initiative (1-12 months); you may include a QR code to a photo album or a short video clip.

Format:

• Size: A3 vertical or 1080×1920 px.
• High-contrast colors; large fonts; add captions to visuals.
• Language: English preferred; submissions in other UN official or local languages are welcome, provided an English translation is included.

Other rules and regulations:

• Artwork must be original and logo-free;
• The AC will not be responsible for technical/upload issues.
• By submitting, participants keep copyright but grant the AC a non-exclusive, worldwide license to publish and adapt the poster with credits on AC/UNFCCC website and additional outreach channels.

Prizes:

• Shortlist: Top ten posters will receive digital certificates and will be featured on the UNFCCC and AC website and social media channels.
• Winners: Top three posters will be profiled in AC newsletter and the winning teams/individuals will be invited for a recorded video interview. Winner of the contest may also be offered an opportunity to participate in an in-person event (e.g., Adaptation Forum, Adaptation Committee meetings or other events), subject to availability and confirmation.

Judging criteria (total of 100 points):

• Clarity and accuracy (30)
• Relevance to adaptation action (20)
• Evidence of impact (20)
• Feasible next step (15)
• Design and accessibility (15)

Contact:

Send your questions and submissions to ac@unfccc.int.