Applications open for the Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2024 Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) Youth Innovation Challenge. In collaboration with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), GEEP is calling for submissions for the 2024 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC): Advancing Marine Conservation!

This challenge offers young individuals aged 15–30 worldwide the chance to present their creative solutions for the protection of marine resources. This year’s challenge focuses on addressing marine-related issues such as biodiversity loss, marine debris, lack of awareness, and other relevant topics, while encouraging individuals of all ages to become active stewards of marine environments.

Eligibility Criteria: Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge

The Youth Innovation Challenge is designed for young leaders and innovators between the ages of 15 and 30. Your innovative solutions should aim to address one of the following key areas, with environmental education playing a crucial role:

1. Marine biodiversity and conservation: Managing, protecting, and/or restoring marine biodiversity for its ecological, cultural, economic, and other values.
2. Marine debris: Reducing and/or mitigating the impacts of marine debris, including monitoring, clean-up, and recycling efforts, as well as educating communities on how to tackle these issues.
3. Public-private collaboration: Promoting collaboration among the private sector, governments, and the public to safeguard marine environments. This could involve proposals for partnerships between government and businesses to meet corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives, opportunities for civic engagement to interact with government initiatives, and other projects that encourage cooperation between public and private entities.

Benefits: Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge

1. All eligible submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts specializing in environmental education, community engagement, and marine conservation. A total of 15 YIC finalists will be chosen and will receive the following benefits:
2. An official certificate will be awarded to the finalists of the Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC).
3. These finalists will also receive recognition on the websites and social media pages of GEEP, NAAEE, and other global partners.
4. From the 15 YIC finalists, GEEP will select 3 winners who will be awarded a $1,000 USD prize.
5. Additionally, the winners will enjoy all the benefits mentioned earlier and will be invited to attend the YIC award ceremony at the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration’s marine debris conference in Taiwan in September 2024.
6. All travel expenses will be covered for the winners.

Requirements: Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge

1. To participate in the challenge, applicants must submit their proposals online through Submittable.
2. The proposals should include a short video pitch (3 minutes or less) showcasing their innovative solution, along with detailed responses to specific questions.
3. Successful proposals will demonstrate how their solution addresses marine conservation, biodiversity, debris issues, or utilizes public-private collaborations to protect marine environments.
4. Furthermore, the proposals should highlight the innovative, feasible, and effective environmental education aspects of their solution, as per the selection criteria.

Application: Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge

1. The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, June 12, 2024,
2. Winners will be notified by September 2024.
3. For details visit the official webpage of the GEEP Youth Innovation Challenge.