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Youth4Climate
Funding, learning, visibility and connections for youth-led climate action
What is Youth4Climate?
Youth4Climate is a global initiative that helps young people move climate ideas into real action. Co-led by the Government of Italy and the United Nations Development Programme, it supports youth-led and youth-inclusive solutions through funding, capacity development, learning opportunities, partnerships, visibility and community.
Youth4Climate exists to make it easier for young climate innovators to implement their climate projects, strengthen their skills, connect with others and be seen by the institutions and partners that can help their work grow.
From direct funding to knowledge offers, flagship events and storytelling, Youth4Climate is designed to back youth-led solutions beyond one-off moments. The initiative has also been recognized as a best practice by G7 leaders and by YOUNGO in its COP28 Stocktake Report.
What does Youth4Climate do?
Youth4Climate supports young climate leaders in three main ways:
We help youth-led solutions move from ideas to implementation through direct, flexible and catalytic funding. Through the Call for Solutions, our yearly global innovation challenge, selected young people and youth-led entities can access up to USD 30,000 to implement their innovative climate projects.
We offer learning opportunities that help young people strengthen project design, sharpen their ideas, and build the technical and practical skills needed to move climate solutions forward. This includes webinars, bootcamps, peer exchange, tailored support during and after the application process, and mentorship opportunities that help young innovators develop stronger, more implementable projects.
We help youth-led climate work get seen. Through global events such as COPs, storytelling, partnerships, media opportunities and our online community, Y4C connects young innovators with peers, institutions, experts and potential partners.
Youth4Climate Call for Solutions
The Youth4Climate Call for Solutions is an annual global innovation challenge for young people and youth-led organisations working on climate action. It supports new and existing youth-led solutions that are ready to be implemented or scaled, while also helping young innovators further develop their ideas and projects through relevant learning opportunities delivered with the support of partners. Selected projects receive up to USD 30,000 in funding, as well as mentorship, capacity development support, and access to a global platform and networking opportunities.
Since 2023, through the first three rounds of the Call for Solutions, Youth4Climate has:
In 2026, Youth4Climate launched the fourth round, offering new funding opportunities for young people aged 18 to 29 and youth-led entities.
Check out the Call for Solutions page for more information on the application process and on the support available for applicants:
Youth4Climate Flagship Events
Youth4Climate Flagship Events are a core part of the initiativeās model, bringing together young innovators, institutions, private sector actors, academia, and ecosystem partners around climate solutions with the potential to scale. They create space for visibility, exchange, partnership-building, and direct engagement between youth-led innovation and the actors who can help accelerate it.
Since its launch, Youth4Climate has convened five flagship events across key global moments and locations: Milan, New York, Rome, Turin, and BrasĆlia.
See the event pictures below:
Impact and Results
Youth4Climate helps turn youth-led climate ideas into action, and action into measurable results. Across countries and contexts, young innovators supported through the initiative are developing solutions, building skills, reaching communities, and contributing to climate action on the ground. The figures below offer a snapshot of the scale, reach and growing impact of the initiative so far.
Delve deeper into the projects and their impact data by visiting our Youth4Climate Microsite (coming soon!).
Voices from the Youth4Climate community
Youth4Climate is shaped by the people it supports. Here is what young innovators from different regions have said about the experience.
Mentorship Programme
The Youth4Climate Mentorship Programme connects awardees with experienced professionals who can offer practical guidance, technical insight, and real-world perspectives to help strengthen and grow their climate solutions. it includes:
- One-to-one mentorship: tailored support for project development, implementation, problem-solving, growth, and strengthening business, operational, financial, or investment readiness. Each awardee is matched with a mentor based on their needs and project profile.
- Masterclasses: small-group sessions led by practitioners on topics such as climate innovation, entrepreneurship, communications, operational readiness and business growth.
- Theory in Practice talks: practical and inspirational sessions where experienced professionals share lessons from their own work and scaling journeys.
- Investor showcases and scaling pathways: support for more mature projects looking to refine their pitch, strengthen their business case, and increase readiness for funding and partnerships.
Want to become a mentor? Click below:
Partnerships and collaborations
Youth4Climate works with public institutions, private sector partners, UN entities, academia, civil society, and foundations to help youth-led climate solutions grow.
We build partnerships that are designed to create value on both sides. For young climate innovators, they can bring funding, learning, mentorship, visibility, and opportunities for growth. For partners, they offer access to a diverse pipeline of innovative solutions, fresh and new perspectives, and meaningful ways to contribute to climate action while advancing their own priorities, expertise, and engagement.
Partners can engage with Youth4Climate through models such as:
- Co-design and co-finance innovation pathways: Shape a thematic stream aligned with your priorities and gain early access to innovative solutions with potential for piloting, testing and future growth.
- Support scale-up and adoption of selected solutions: Back more mature ventures and connect with solutions that are closer to real-world application, partnership and broader market uptake.
- Knowledge and capacity partner: Contribute expertise, mentorship, or technical insight while gaining visibility on emerging ideas and trends shaping the climate space.
- Event and visibility partner: Support platforms that give innovators visibility while positioning your organisation in front of leaders, partners and wider climate audiences.
For more information and details click below:
Want to partner with us? Please reach out to us at youth4climate@undp.org .
Youth4Climate Snapshot
Generation Trust: A Global Climate Story in the Making
Generation Trust: A Global Climate Story in the Making is a 65 min film-documentary that follows five young climate leaders from Uganda, Liberia, Pakistan, Colombia, and Bolivia as they work to bring practical climate solutions to life in their communities. Spanning areas such as clean energy, circular economy, food systems, and coral reef restoration, the film shows what becomes possible when young people are trusted to lead.
Y4C Solutions Catalogue 100 Projects: From Ideas to Impact
Often called the leaders of tomorrow, young people are making their mark today. āSolutions Catalogue 100 Projects: From Ideas to Impactā showcases bold ideas brought to life by youth across four continents as part of the Youth4Climate Initiative led by UNDP with the Government of Italy.
These youth-led projects are delivering cleaner energy, restoring ecosystems and creating new jobs as they adapt to Climate Change. Some of these young innovators are also blending modern technology with Indigenous knowledge to tackle climate change for today and for generations to come. Their work is gaining global recognition, shaping policy and sparking new partnerships. Explore this dynamic collection to witness the creativity, determination and impact of a generation committed to climate leadership.
This catalogue only includes projects that were awarded by Youth4Climate between 2023-2024.
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