LocationsThrough the Better Futures Project 2026, an initiative by the EU and UNDP in partnership with Central Pattana
Thai Youth Present Innovative Solutions to Tackle Air and Water Pollution and Waste Challenges
October 26, 2026
Bangkok, Thailand, 17 October 2026 – The final ten youth teams from across Thailand presented innovative solutions to real-world consumption and production challenges in their communities today , as part of the Better Futures Project 2026: Futures Near Me, a youth innovation platform by the European Union (EU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Central Pattana Public Company Limited (CPN), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.
Representing five regions of Thailand, with projects developed in Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Rayong, Phuket and Chiang Mai, the teams addressed a diverse range of local challenges, from agricultural burning and air pollution, industrial wastewater and toxic dyes, coastal ecosystems and fishers' livelihoods, and waste and circular reuse.
Their innovations include:
- A gamified platform designed to encourage farmers to reuse leftover sugarcane leaves instead of burning them, helping reduce PM2.5 pollution and promote fairer, more transparent farming practices.
- A solar-powered buoy designed to monitor water quality and support the protection of local aquatic ecosystems.
- A circular resource system designed to promote sustainable merit-making through reusable offering sets, a borrow-and-return system, and organic waste composting.
The solutions are the result of Better Future Labs, a six-month innovation programme that brought together 165 students across 50 teams, from which ten finalist teams were selected. Through workshops on responsible business practices, co-creation and mentorship with UNDP and Change Lab, participants developed and tested their ideas in their communities, while Central Pattana transformed its shopping centres into learning spaces for responsible business practices. More than 95 per cent of surveyed participants reported that they could apply what they had learned about business and human rights.
The Better Futures Project 2026 forms part of the wider EU-funded Agents of Change: Youth and Media for Responsible Business Conduct project, which promotes responsible business practices by strengthening the role of young people and the media as advocates for change.
As Thailand navigates evolving international expectations for sustainable and responsible business, including those reflected in the EU's Global Gateway strategy, the initiative highlights the importance of equipping the next generation with the knowledge and practical experience to contribute to more responsible business practices.
By connecting youth innovation, community priorities and private-sector engagement, Better Futures demonstrates how young people can help translate responsible business principles into practical solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
Two teams tied for the top prize after receiving identical scores: Santi Green Code from Loei, whose Cane Connect app reduces sugarcane burning in support of the right to clean air, and Kru Chuea Man Nai Tua Khon (Teachers Believe in People) from Songkhla, whose dye made from wild banana sap replaces toxic dye wastewater and supports the right to a safe environment. K-Ong from Chanthaburi was named first runner-up for its sound-wave deterrent against invasive tilapia, which helps restore mangroves and protects the right to a healthy environment and livelihoods. The remaining seven finalist teams received commendation awards, so all ten teams were recognised.
“The European Union is proud to support young people who turn global commitments into local action. Ten teams and ten solutions show what happens when young people are trusted with effectively responding to real problems. Through Agents of Change, the EU is working with UNDP and the private sector so that young people and media can help drive transparent, accountable and responsible business conduct. When we invest in young people, we do not only shape the future. We accelerate it,” said Mr Andreas Roettger, Head of FPI Regional Team Asia-Pacific, EU Delegation to Thailand.
“The young innovators we celebrate today are closing the gap between what young people believe and how they behave as consumers, turning community challenges into creative solutions and, perhaps, the next generation of responsible business. As the world moves towards higher private sector standards, our partnership with the EU and business champions like Central Pattana shows how, with the right platform, young people can drive change.” said Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand.
“Under our vision of ‘A Future-Led Ecosystem,’ Central Pattana believes that business growth must go hand in hand with the well-being of people and communities, and that sustainability can only be achieved through collaboration across all sectors. We are therefore committed to translating ESG principles and Creating Shared Value (CSV) into tangible actions, leveraging our nationwide network of Central shopping centres as a platform to foster collaboration and drive sustainable impact across multiple dimensions. Now in its fifth consecutive year, the Better Futures Project reflects our commitment to making sustainability ‘easy to understand and achievable in everyday life.’ Central Pattana remains dedicated to empowering young people to turn their ideas into meaningful actions and build upon them for the future. We believe that a better future begins with the world around us and the actions we take today.” said Ms. Naparat Sriwanvit, Chief Finance Officer and President, Hotel and Office Businesses, Central Pattana Public Company Limited.
The initiative responds to a persistent gap between young people's sustainability intentions and their purchasing decisions. A 2023 UNDP study of nearly 5,000 young people across Asia found that while about two-thirds consider sustainability when researching purchases, fewer than one in seven do so at the point of purchase. By connecting youth-led innovation with real-world business environments, Better Futures aims to bridge this gap, empowering young people not only as responsible consumers, but also as agents of change in shaping more sustainable and accountable business practices.
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About the EU-UNDP Agents of Change Project
Funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP in Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia and Thailand, the project empowers youth and media to advance responsible business practices, strengthen corporate accountability, and address human rights and environmental impacts of business operations.
For more information, please contact:
Tarinee Suravoranon, Project Manager on Business and Human Rights, UNDP Thailand | Tarinee.suravoranon@undp.org | Mobile: +66922700529
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. For more information, visit our website.
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