Selected from 710 applications, the fifty-four new Eco Champions come from Brazil, Germany, Jordan, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Uganda. Aged 16 to 26, with two thirds of the cohort being young women, they bring different experiences but share one ambition: creating practical, community-led responses to the climate crisis.
Eco Champions: Climate solutions led by young people
The Eco Champions are tackling a wide range of environmental challenges, from waste and plastic pollution to biodiversity loss, water resilience, clean energy and climate justice.
Across Africa, young innovators are finding new ways to reduce waste while creating opportunities for their communities. In Namibia, discarded glass and plastic are being transformed into event décor, while reclaimed materials are used to build water-saving hydroponic gardens. In Uganda, plastic waste is becoming school dustbins, paving blocks, pillows and organic fertilisers that support both cleaner neighbourhoods and local livelihoods.
Other Eco Champions are using innovation to make climate solutions more inclusive. In Jordan, one young innovator has designed a solar-powered wheelchair charging solution to ensure people with disabilities are not left stranded during power outages while promoting clean energy. In Germany, youth activists are working to make climate movements more inclusive and strengthen connections between climate justice advocates across Africa and Europe.
For Mathyas in Brazil, climate action began with a personal connection to nature. Witnessing the growing pollution of local reservoirs inspired him to restore aquatic ecosystems by removing litter and rescuing wildlife trapped in waste. "I love to fish, and I fish respectfully. But I saw how dirty and neglected the reservoirs had become, and it made me sad. That's when I decided to take action," Mathyas says.
In Uganda, Emmanuel founded The Eco Innovators Gulu after seeing the impact of plastic pollution in his community.
"We want to create a plastic waste-free community with free-flowing drainage systems and build the climate capacity of school children."
Emmanuel, Eco Champions 2026
More about Eco Champions
Growing the impact of youth climate action
Through initiatives focused on recycling and waste management, climate education, nature restoration, sustainable agriculture, water resilience and clean energy, the 54 Eco Champions are addressing some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges while inspiring others to take action.
Their work builds on the achievements of the previous cohort, whose 49 participants directly supported nearly 12,000 community members and reached another 13,000 people through awareness-raising and advocacy activities.
These achievements demonstrate what becomes possible when young people are trusted, resourced and supported to lead change. Over the next 18 months, the 2026 Eco Champions will continue building practical solutions, strengthening their leadership and inspiring others to take action for people and the planet.
Their projects may take different forms, but they share a common belief: meaningful climate action begins with local communities—and young people are already leading the way.