Turin, 16 May 2025 – The Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, announced the renewal and expansion of Italy’s financial support for the Youth4Climate initiative during the event “Youth4Climate and Cooperation for Sustainability – Toward COP30,” held at the Turin International Book Fair 2025. The renewed contribution marks a significant increase from the Ministry’s original commitment, reinforcing Italy’s long-term support to youth-led climate action. The Minister further emphasized the growing importance of youth participation in climate decision-making and reaffirmed Italy’s dedication to backing young climate leaders worldwide.

Youth4Climate, co-led by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has already supported over 100 youth-led projects across developing economies, such as India and Colombia. With this renewed political and financial backing, the initiative will scale its impact through the 2025 Call for Solutions, which will support 50 new youth-led climate actions globally, and will expand its reach in future editions of the Call, continuing to identify and support innovative, youth-led climate action around the world.

In addition to project funding, Youth4Climate is home to a digital platform that hosts a global community of over 25,000 young climate leaders. The platform offers learning, networking, and collaboration opportunities, and is now also accessible as a mobile app, making it easier than ever for young people around the world to connect, share ideas, and take action.

The initiative also receives support from partners such as the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai, and was commended in the 2024 G7 Leaders’ Communiqué as a leading model for youth engagement in climate policy and implementation. It stands today as a flagship initiative within the deepening Italy–UNDP partnership, with UNDP Rome Centre playing a central role in programme design, coordination, and global outreach.

The renewed funding announcement comes as the world looks ahead to COP30, hosted later this year in Belém do Pará, Brazil, under the banner of the Global Mutirão – a call for collective, community-driven contributions to climate action. Youth4Climate embodies this vision by investing in tangible, youth-led solutions: from renewable energy access and ecosystem restoration to climate education and green entrepreneurship.

As COP30 positions youth and local action at the center of global climate diplomacy, Youth4Climate stands ready to help shape a new era of intergenerational cooperation, innovation, and shared responsibility.

About Youth4Climate:

Youth4Climate (Y4C) is a global initiative, launched in May 2022, co-led by the Government of Italy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The initiative has its Secretariat at the UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition, and is supported through the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai.
Y4C brings together existing and new online and offline resources, tools, capacities, partnerships, networks and movements led by and designed for youth, with a strong focus on the implementation of solutions, for a more sustained impact on climate on the ground. It aims to foster an inclusive, safe and enabling environment for youth to lead and partner with other stakeholders on climate action.

Learn more by visiting the Youth4Climate page here, the Youth4Climate platform and follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About UNDP Rome Centre:

UNDP Rome Centre acts as the principal, integrated global platform for the strategic partnership between the Government of Italy and UNDP for delivering on three main programmes: the Youth4Climate initiative (empowering young leaders in driving climate action and innovation),  the Energy for Growth initiative (advancing clean energy transitions in Africa), and the Platform for Investment and Technical Assistance (PISTA, aimed at supporting climate efforts by providing technical and financial assistance to developing economies globally, with a large portion of resources directed to Africa).​

It focuses on the critical policy areas of climate action, youth engagement, energy transition and climate finance.

Learn more at undp.org/romecentre or follow on LinkedIn at @UNDP Rome Centre.

Media Contact:

Rome: Malak Chabar, Communications & Project Analyst, UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition, email: malak.chabar@undp.org