$10,000 Young Champions of the Earth

A flagship UNEP initiative recognizing exceptional young environmental leaders aged 18–30. Winners receive seed funding, mentorship, and global visibility to scale their environmental solutions.

Benefits include:

• US$10,000 seed funding for project implementation
• Mentorship, workshops, and access to UNEP’s global expert community
• Smartphone multimedia kit + communications training to document their journey
• Global recognition through interviews, speaking engagements, and media coverage
• VIP networking at the Young Champions award ceremony and UNEP events
• Opportunity to compete for the Planet A grant (up to US$100,000)
• Ongoing alumni engagement and visibility

• Age 18–30 by end of 2026
• Project or big idea must have been in development for at least 6 months
• Commitment to share journey through videos and articles for 1 year
• Strong environmental impact potential and scalability
• Application submitted via UNEP online portal
• Entrepreneur
• Running a project or organization
• Working (full-time or part-time)