The World Around Young Climate Prize 2026: Global Mentorship, Fellowship & New York Summit Opportunity for Young Climate Leaders Under 25

Applications are now officially open for the third cycle of The World Around’s Young Climate Prize 2026, a prestigious global mentorship, accelerator, and fellowship programme designed to support exceptional young climate innovators, activists, designers, and changemakers working on the front lines of the climate crisis.

The programme identifies and accelerates self-initiated climate action projects led by young people aged 25 and under from anywhere in the world. Through mentorship, masterclasses, international networking, strategic support, and global exposure, the Young Climate Prize empowers the next generation of climate leaders to strengthen and scale their impact.

The application deadline for the 2026 Young Climate Prize Cycle 03 is June 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT.

The programme is free to enter and participation is completely free for selected applicants.

About The World Around Young Climate Prize

The Young Climate Prize is a global mentorship and award programme created by The World Around, an international nonprofit organization focused on design, architecture, climate action, and social innovation. The initiative aims to identify, support, and amplify young people already creating meaningful climate solutions within their communities.

Every two years, 25 outstanding young changemakers under the age of 25 are selected through an international open call. These participants represent diverse regions, communities, and climate realities from around the globe.

The programme combines:

• One-on-one mentorship
• Climate leadership development
• Design Academy masterclasses
• International networking
• Professional development
• Global visibility
• Fellowship opportunities
• Public presentation opportunities

The programme culminates at The World Around Summit in New York City, where selected winners present their work to an international audience of designers, policymakers, educators, climate experts, and global leaders.

What Makes the Young Climate Prize Unique?

Unlike many climate competitions focused only on ideas or proposals, the Young Climate Prize specifically supports young people who are already leading live projects with measurable climate impact in their communities.

The programme is particularly unique because it:

• Prioritizes real-world climate action
• Focuses on mentorship and long-term support
• Supports interdisciplinary climate solutions
• Uses design as a tool for climate innovation
• Builds a global youth climate network
• Continues support through a three-year fellowship programme

The initiative recognizes that young people are not just future leaders—they are already leading climate action today.

Who Can Apply?

The Young Climate Prize is open globally to young people actively working on climate solutions.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

1. Be between 13 and 25 years old at the time of application
2. Be the founder or co-founder of a live climate-related project
3. Be actively leading the project at the time of application
4. Demonstrate measurable or visible community impact
5. Submit a climate-focused initiative addressing climate change mitigation or adaptation

Team Applications

Groups of up to three people may apply together. However:

• Every team member must meet all eligibility requirements
• Each participant must fall within the age range
• All members must actively contribute to the project

Global Eligibility

Applicants may come from:

• Any country
• Any continent
• Any community or region worldwide

The programme welcomes participants from:

• Urban communities
• Indigenous communities
• Coastal regions
• Rural communities
• Climate-vulnerable areas
• Marginalized populations

What Types of Projects Are Eligible?

The programme accepts a wide variety of climate-related projects and creative practices.

Eligible projects may include:

• Climate advocacy campaigns
• Environmental education initiatives
• Sustainable architecture projects
• Circular economy solutions
• Waste reduction systems
• Urban resilience initiatives
• Indigenous climate knowledge preservation
• Renewable energy innovations
• Community adaptation projects
• Climate storytelling
• Conservation efforts
• Food systems innovation
• Biodiversity protection
• Sustainable fashion projects
• Climate communication platforms
• Ecological design projects

The programme places special emphasis on design as a driver of climate solutions.

Programme Structure

1. One-on-One Mentorship

Each selected participant is paired with an internationally recognized mentor whose expertise, network, and experience align with the participant’s work.

Mentorship sessions help participants:

• Strengthen project strategy
• Improve communication
• Expand project visibility
• Access global networks
• Scale impact
• Refine storytelling
• Build professional confidence

Young Climate Prize Design Academy

Selected participants also join the Young Climate Prize Design Academy, a weekly learning and development programme featuring:

• Workshops
• Masterclasses
• Talks
• Strategy sessions
• Professional development training

The academy focuses on:

• Climate leadership
• Communication
• Design thinking
• Public engagement
• Advocacy
• Storytelling
• Project scaling
• Systems thinking

Global Experts & Mentors

The Design Academy masterclasses are led by members of The World Around’s global network of designers, educators, architects, curators, and climate thinkers.

Notable mentors and contributors include:

• Paola Antonelli
• Bruce Mau
• Mariam Issoufou
• Douglas Cardinal
• Alice Rawsthorn
• Al Borde
• Carson Chan
• Dominique Petit-Frère
• Kotchakorn Voraakhom

These globally respected experts provide insights across:

• Architecture
• Design
• Sustainability
• Climate communication
• Urbanism
• Ecology
• Landscape design
• Community development

Final Awards & International Recognition

At the conclusion of the programme, an international jury selects:

• Young Climate DesignerRemove featured image
• Young Climate Visionary
• Young Climate Voice

The selected winners receive the opportunity to:

• Travel to New York City
• Present their work at The World Around Summit 2027
• Gain international exposure
• Connect with global climate leaders
• Showcase their projects to influential audiences

Three-Year Fellowship Opportunity

One of the strongest aspects of the programme is that all cohort participants automatically transition into the Young Climate Prize Fellowship after completing the programme cycle.

The fellowship provides:

• Three years of ongoing support
• Continued mentorship
• Access to resources
• Networking opportunities
• Professional growth support
• Project development opportunities
• Global collaborations

This long-term structure distinguishes the programme from one-time competitions or awards.

What Participants Gain

Selected participants receive several benefits throughout the programme.

Benefits Include:

• Personalized mentorship
• Access to world-renowned climate and design leaders
• Weekly Design Academy masterclasses
• Global networking opportunities
• Climate leadership development
• Storytelling and communication training
• Strategic guidance for project growth
• Exposure to international audiences
• Fellowship opportunities
• Potential travel to New York City
• Opportunity to present at The World Around Summit
• Connection to a global climate innovation community

Submission Requirements

Applicants must submit:

1. A short introductory video about their project
2. Written or visual materials showing evidence of impact
3. Supporting documentation demonstrating project work

Submissions may be completed in:

• English
• Spanish

Application Deadline

June 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to avoid technical issues and to ensure enough time to prepare strong submissions.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply through the official Young Climate Prize application platform.

Apply to Young Climate Prize Cycle 03 here. The World Around also welcomes nominations here.

Why Young Climate Leaders Should Apply

Climate change is one of the defining global challenges of our time, and young people are already creating transformative solutions within their communities.

The Young Climate Prize offers:

• Recognition
• Mentorship
• International exposure
• Long-term fellowship support
• Leadership development
• Professional growth
• Community building

For young changemakers already taking action, this programme provides the tools, guidance, and network needed to expand their impact globally.

Learn more about the Young Climate Prize 2026 HERE.

Conclusion

The World Around Young Climate Prize 2026 is more than just a competition—it is a long-term global accelerator and fellowship programme designed to empower young people shaping the future of climate action.

By combining mentorship, education, storytelling, design, leadership, and global collaboration, the programme creates a powerful platform for youth-led climate innovation worldwide.

Young climate leaders, designers, activists, and community innovators under 25 who are already creating meaningful environmental impact should strongly consider applying before the June 30, 2026 deadline.

Discover more global Fellowship, Climate Action and Competition opportunities on OFY.