Brasília, 7 October 2025 - More than 150 young climate leaders from around the world and across Brazil will convene in Brasília from 12-14 October for the Youth4Climate Flagship Event 2025, held on the margins of Pre-COP30.
Organized by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the United Nations Development Programme Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition (UNDP Rome Centre), the event will showcase youth-led climate solutions, highlight intergenerational collaboration, and provide a global platform for young people to share ideas as we head head towards COP30. The programme will also feature the presence of Italy’s Vice Minister of Environment and Energy Security Vannia Gava, highlighting Italy’s commitment to youth-driven climate action.

Youth4Climate: From Milan to Brasília

Launched at Pre-COP26 in Milan in 2021, Youth4Climate was born out of a promise to make support for youth in climate action tangible and long-term. Four years on, the initiative is returning to the Pre-COP stage in Brazil to report back on its achievements: hundreds of youth-led projects supported, over 30,000 young people engaged, and a growing global movement at the heart of the UN climate process. This continuity reflects the long-standing partnership between Italy and UNDP to ensure that youth are not only present but resourced, supported, and empowered to drive climate solutions.

Youth4Climate is also a proud member of the COP30 Action Agenda Activation Group on Education, Capacity-Building and Job Creation to Address Climate Change.The Action Agenda is the pillar of the Climate Convention that mobilizes voluntary climate action from civil society, businesses, investors, cities, states, and countries to intensify emission reductions, climate adaptation, and the transition to sustainable economies. In recognition of the work that is already underway by initiatives launched during COP processes, including Youth4Climate, the Action Agenda seeks to track the progress of these initiatives and to mobilize action to scale these. In this context, Youth4Climate is presenting its latest “Solutions Catalogue 100 Projects: From Ideas to Impact” as a concrete step from the Y4C Manifesto to implementation, and as a resource for the international community to learn more about the initiative’s achievements and youth-led climate innovation worldwide.

At this year’s flagship event, 50 young climate innovators from 39 UNDP programme countries will be formally recognized. Each has been awarded up to USD 30,000 through the Youth4Climate Call for Solutions to implement projects across six key areas: Sustainable Energy, Food and Agriculture, Climate and Health, Digital for the Planet, Nature for Climate Action, and Climate, Peace and Security. But the Youth4Climate support package extends beyond funding. Awardees benefit from mentorship, institutional backing, and networking opportunities to help scale their initiatives.

In addition to pitching sessions and a high-level award ceremony, the event programme includes dialogues on climate justice, Indigenous youth leadership, and ethical stocktaking, alongside workshops on design thinking and storytelling for local action. 

Youth4Climate is recognized as a flagship initiative of UNDP and the Government of Italy, and one of the few global platforms that actively funds, mentors, and connects youth climate solutions. Its presence at Pre-COP30 reflects UNDP’s commitment to inclusive climate action, ensuring that diverse youth voices and experiences are represented in the lead-up to COP30.

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 by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security and 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.

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Media contacts
Malak Chabar - UNDP Rome Centre - malak.chabar@undp.org
Luciano Seixas Milhomem - UNDP Brazil Country Office - luciano.milhomem@undp.org