In a call to action for young leaders addressing climate change, the United Nations Global Climate Action Awards for 2023 are now open for nominations.
In a call to action for young leaders addressing climate change, the United Nations Global Climate Action Awards for 2023 are now open for nominations.
Established by UN Climate Change in 2011, this prestigious program aims to spotlight the world’s most groundbreaking efforts in combatting climate change.
This year’s awards focus on youth-driven projects that demonstrate bold and effective action in the realms of energy transition and resilient nature. The winners of the 2023 awards will be honored at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) held in Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, scheduled from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, emphasized the significance of these awards, stating, “The UN Global Climate Action Awards represent an opportunity to recognize the innovative climate action that young people around the world are undertaking to ensure their communities are more sustainable, resilient, and equitable places to live.”
He further highlighted how these awards serve as a testament to the exemplary climate leadership demonstrated by young individuals, setting an inspiring precedent for others.
The UN Global Climate Action Awards specifically spotlight initiatives that contribute towards achieving the temperature objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. Past recipients have included transformative endeavors such as Quebec’s pioneering climate finance program and Microsoft’s groundbreaking internal carbon fee.
Other notable winners encompass the world’s most eco-conscious football club, Lebanon’s trailblazing all-women solar team, a Swedish restaurant chain pioneering the first ‘climate positive’ menu, and Denmark’s Samsø island, which has undergone a complete energy system overhaul.
The 2023 UN Global Climate Action Awards will distinguish climate initiatives led by young visionaries that yield tangible and substantial outcomes in two distinct categories:
Youth Leading the Energy Transition:
Acknowledging the contributions of young individuals (up to 35 years of age) in propelling renewable energy and/or energy efficiency endeavors that are locally-driven and community-centric. These initiatives incorporate elements of education, training, and public awareness to attain their objectives, striving for greater equity within the community.
Youth Supporting Resilient Nature:
Recognizing inventive work focused on nature and resilience carried out by either an individual or a group of young individuals (up to 35 years of age) within indigenous and/or local communities. These efforts are tailored to rejuvenate, preserve, or enhance nature’s resilience or its contributions to humanity, through nature-based or ecosystem-based approaches.
Public awareness, participation, and access to information are integral components in realizing these goals and achieving increased equity within the community.
These awards are administered in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA.
With the 2023 UN Global Climate Action Awards, the world celebrates the instrumental role of young leaders in driving sustainable change and confronting the challenges of climate change head-on. Their innovations and actions stand as beacons of hope for a more resilient and sustainable future.