Youth4Climate Flagship Event 2025

Young people under the age of 30 make up half of the world’s population, and they are among those most affected by the impacts of climate change. Yet, they remain largely excluded from key spaces where climate decisions and financing are made. Currently, youth-led initiatives receive less than 1% of global climate finance, despite their critical role in driving innovation, resilience, and solutions on the ground.

Nevertheless, youth remain a driving force for solutions. Their knowledge, energy, and perseverance have fuelled a global movement demanding bold and just climate action from leaders, while also spearheading initiatives within their own countries and communities to advance the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).  

In response to the growing demand from young people for concrete climate action, Youth4Climate was launched in 2022 during the Pre-COP26 in Milan, Italy, as a partnership between UNDP and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.

Over the past two years, Youth4Climate has directly funded 100 youth-led solutions across 52 countries through its annual Call for Solutions (an innovation challenge). To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, proposals are accepted in four languages, including Portuguese in 2025, enabling youth from diverse regions and backgrounds to participate. The Call is open to young people from all 159 UNDP programme countries and provides up to USD 30,000 for each awarded project.  

This October, an additional 50 youth-led solutions will be awarded, bringing the total number of supported initiatives since 2023 to 150 projects, with a combined funding envelope of USD 4 million. The award ceremony will take place in Brasília, Brazil, on the margins of pre-COP30. Fittingly, Youth4Climate, which was first launched at a Pre-COP, will return to the Pre-COP stage, continuing its mission of elevating youth leadership in climate action. 

This year, the annual Youth4Climate flagship event will be held in Brasilia, Brazil, from October 12–14, 2025, at the margins of the pre-COP30. 

The event is one of the components of the Y4C initiative, created to amplify youth-led climate action by showcasing innovative solutions, increasing visibility for youth efforts, and fostering connections between young leaders, policymakers, organizations, the private sector, and international institutions.  

This year’s flagship will bring together 50 young innovators recognized through the Y4C Call for Solutions 2025, from 34 countries, alongside Brazilian youth representatives identified with the support of PYCC, global youth leaders nominated by YOUNGO and the International Indigenous Youth Forum on Climate Change (IIYFCC), as well as youth-serving organizations from Brazil and abroad.  

The program will highlight innovative approaches across key themes including Food and Agriculture, Sustainable Energy, Nature for Climate Action, Digital for the Planet, and Climate, Peace, and Security. Building on the success of past Y4C events, the gathering will serve as a hub for exchanging best practices, addressing shared challenges, and identifying ways to accelerate climate action.  

A key highlight will be the Call for Solutions Award Ceremony, celebrating the achievements of young innovators whose ground-breaking solutions are driving real impact across the globe. 

Youth4Climate (Y4C) is a global initiative co-led by the Government of Italy and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and co-shaped with youth and other strategic partners, and also supported through the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai.

Youth4Climate (Y4C) supports the implementation of youth-led and youth-inclusive solutions to environmental and climate challenges, both financially and through capacity development, for a more innovative and inclusive impact on the ground.