UNEP Young Champions of the Earth 2026

Applications are now open for the UNEP Young Champions of the Earth 2026 — the United Nations Environment Programme’s flagship and most prestigious award recognizing outstanding environmental action by young people aged 18–30. This program supports innovative young entrepreneurs and changemakers addressing the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste.

It is a prestigious award program for young innovators with proven, scalable environmental projects (at least six months of work already completed). Winners receive partial funding (US$10,000 seed grant per winner, plus opportunity to compete for up to US$100,000 additional grant), intensive mentorship, training, global visibility, networking events (including travel-covered award ceremony), and more. There is no application fee. The program is open to eligible young people from around the world. The application deadline is March 31, 2026. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Host Organisation: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Target Age Group: 18–30 years
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
• Application Fee: None
• Open to All Nationalities

What This Award Offers:

• US$10,000 seed funding to grow their project or business
• Chance to compete in a pitch competition for the Planet A grant of up to US$100,000
• Workshops, skill-building training, and access to a worldwide community of changemakers
• A smartphone multimedia production kit, communications training, and ongoing support to share their story
• Global publicity and recognition through UNEP platforms, international media interviews, speaking engagements, and features
• Networking opportunities at the award ceremony and other high-level UN events (travel expenses covered; valid passport required)

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Eligibility Criteria:

• You will be 18 to 30 years old by the end of 2026 (December 31)
• You have been actively working on your environmental project or idea for at least six months
• Your work innovatively addresses environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, waste, or related issues

Re-applications from previous cycles are allowed (one entry per person per year). Employees of UNEP, Planet A, CoalitionWild, and their immediate family members are ineligible.

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How to Apply

1. Visit the official application page: Here
2. Review the full contest rules: Here
3. Submit your application via the online form: Here
4. Prepare to showcase your project’s impact, originality, scalability, and your six+ months of progress (include endorsements if possible).

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