UN Young Champions of the Earth Award Offers Up to $100,000

Young innovators can now enter a United Nations environmental award offering up to $100,000 for projects that are already in progress.

By linking finance and mentoring to initiatives that have demonstrated measurable outcomes, the programme can turn early traction into international visibility as climate and pollution challenges grow more severe.

Global call for innovators

Nominations for the Young Champions of the Earth award will be accepted from 24 February to 31 March 2026 from applicants already developing their solutions.

During this period, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is calling on people aged 18 to 30 who have tested an environmental concept for at least six months to submit their progress.

The condition ensures that the award focuses on innovators who have progressed beyond plans and started dealing with genuine costs, users and obstacles.

Requiring evidence before granting recognition means the funding is intended to accelerate existing momentum, rather than gamble on an unproven aspiration.

Money meets mentorship

Every Young Champion is given seed funding and practical support intended to transform an early pilot into a more robust, investment-ready proposal.

Chris Kemper, an American clean-tech executive and UNEP Advocate for Partnerships, provides the initial $10,000 in seed funding.

Workshops, specialist mentors and a competition introduce winners to potential partners, while some may pitch for a larger Planet A grant.

As the assistance comes at an early stage, winners can address shortcomings quickly before their projects become bogged down in administration.

Proof before prizes

A minimum-work requirement excludes concepts that exist only on paper, favouring projects already facing real-world limitations.

Evidence may take the form of field testing, initial sales or a prototype that failed before being redesigned.

By seeking proof of commitment, UNEP asks applicants to describe what they have altered rather than merely what they intend to do.

Although this method may exclude entirely new ideas, it keeps assessment centred on progress that is measurable.

Connecting global risks

The award treats climate change, nature loss and pollution together because difficulties in one area frequently intensify another.

Natural habitats support biodiversity, meaning the range of life within an area, while damaged ecosystems can increase risks to health and crops.

“It can deliver tangible economic benefits for countries, communities, and individuals,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

This perspective encourages applicants to demonstrate an environmental benefit alongside a route to employment, savings or improved health safety.

Examples from 2025

The previous year's winners included Jinali Mody, Joseph Nguthiru and Noemi Florea, whose Cycleau converts greywater from sinks and showers into drinking water.

Mody's Banofi Leather uses banana crop waste to create a plant-based alternative to leather, cutting the volume of stems and fibres discarded after harvesting.

At HyaPak, Nguthiru uses the dense, fibrous stalks of the invasive water hyacinth from Kenya's waterways to make biodegradable packaging, reducing reliance on conventional plastic.

“We are proud to support these amazing young people who are changing the world,” said Kemper.

Winners share progress

Once selected, every Young Champion is required to document progress in self-filmed videos and short articles for up to one year.

These reports help make the work visible, as footage can reveal prototypes, pilots and setbacks that press releases commonly overlook.

UNEP supports this communication work with a smartphone multimedia production kit, communications training and mentoring.

The obligation also creates additional time pressure, as winners must develop their projects and report on them simultaneously.

Safeguards for credibility

Limiting individuals to one entry per year prevents the prize becoming solely a test of persistence.

Under the published rules, UNEP employees, staff of its partners and their immediate family members are ineligible to take part.

Applicants retain ownership of their ideas, although winners must sign a waiver before UNEP reveals their names.

While these measures safeguard credibility, each winner remains responsible for taxes and other travel-related expenses.

Prizes and real results

Prize competitions have long attracted fresh problem-solvers to public challenges, particularly when deadlines demand concentration.

A 2012 study examined invention awards in England and associated prizes with a greater number of competitive submissions and patents.

The competitions appeared to increase effort by rewarding concrete outcomes, without simply shifting work away from another field.

That trend helps show why UNEP combines recognition with funding and mentoring instead of offering praise alone for a smart concept.

What judges look for

The strongest submissions identify a specific problem, a genuine user and the most basic evidence that the solution already functions.

Relevant straightforward proof may include initial sales, field trials or laboratory results, provided the work has taken place beyond theory.

A concise pitch must also set out a growth plan because the award connects winners with mentors and public events.

By the deadline, judges will still select only a small number of applicants, making clarity and honesty potentially more important than refined marketing.

Where this goes next

The Young Champions programme rests on the principle that youth-led solutions can develop more quickly when funding, mentoring and public accountability are introduced together.

If this model succeeds, future winners will advance not only their own projects but also an approach that other funders can replicate.