UNEP Young Champions of the Earth Award 2025:
UNEP announced the 2025 Young Champions of the Earth award, recognising innovators from India, Kenya, and the US.
- UNEP Young Champions of the Earth Award 2025 is UNEP’s flagship youth engagement award, recognising young entrepreneurs under 30 with bold environmental solutions.
- Launched in Established in 2017, relaunched in 2025 in partnership with Planet A (founded by US cleantech CEO Chris Kemper).
- Given by: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), supported by philanthropic and private partners.
- Aim is to empower young innovators tackling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution/waste.
- Open to individuals below 30 years, offering recognition, funding, and mentoring for projects with scalable environmental impact.
- Winners receive USD 20,000 seed funding, intensive training, tailored mentorship, global recognition, and access to Planet A pitch for further funding (up to USD 1 million).
2025 Winners::
- Jinali Mody (India) – Founder of Banofi Leather: Produces eco-friendly leather from banana crop waste, reducing water use, chemical pollution, and carbon emissions.
- Joseph Nguthiru (Kenya) – Founder of HyaPak: Converts invasive water hyacinth into biodegradable packaging and seedling wrappers, reducing single-use plastics.
- Noemi Florea (US) – Founder of Cycleau: Developed a compact greywater reuse system for households, turning wastewater into drinking water with low energy consumption.
