Today’s young people were born into the climate, nature, and pollution crises, and hold the keys to addressing them. With support from the Global Environment Facility, youth leaders around the world are building careers to heal the planet and getting directly involved in local, national, and international initiatives in order to create a brighter future.
Would you like to get involved? Please reach out to us at youth@thegef.org with your questions and ideas.
We also invite you to engage with youth organizations such as YOUNGO, the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, the UNCCD Youth Caucus, and the local and national chapters advising the multilateral environmental conventions the GEF serves. Young scientists interested in environmental conservation can also explore training and networking support through the GEF’s Fonseca Leadership Program.
GEF x Earth Partner
The Global Environment Facility collaborated with the Earth Partner Prize, a global platform for young creatives using art to spotlight the ecological crisis.
Selected from almost 1,300 entries from over 110 countries, the winning works capture the realities of our changing planet – from works exploring eco-anxiety and environmental justice to explorations of community resilience and regeneration.
Conversations with Carlos Manuel
In a conversation at his home - "Creating space for young people to affect climate policy" - GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez heard from members of the Youth and Climate Change Network of Costa Rica about how the climate emergency is impacting young people. International relations student Judith Pereira Vásquez, sustainable development engineering student Dereck Diaz Cortés, and political advocacy coordinator and cartography professional Noelia Molina Montero shared their fears, hopes, and plans for the future.
Carlos Manuel is a lawyer by training, politician by choice, and conservationist at heart. In the interview "An unconventional career path: Carlos Manuel Rodríguez," he shared memories from his career path and offered advice to young people who want to save the planet without working in a laboratory.
