In response to the rapid acceleration of biodiversity loss and the growing impacts of climate change, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will be launched on World Environment Day 2021 (5 June 2021). Led by FAO and UNEP, this decadal effort aims to catalyze a global #GenerationRestoration movement to conserve and restore ecosystems worldwide.
The #GenerationRestoration Youth Challenge is a global call for youth-led solutions to conserve and restore ecosystems. In alignment with the UN Decade, the Challenge covers conservation and restoration of all types of intact and degraded terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, peat, etc.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
The Challenge calls for impactful and inspiring solutions by ecopreneurs and young change-makers, taking action in at least one of the following focus areas:
- Successful Examples of Ecopreneurship: successful ecopreneurship start-ups, i.e. start-ups that have ecosystem conservation and restoration at the core of their business model and demonstrate how nature restoration and regeneration can go hand in hand with socio-economic benefits
- Capacity-building for Youth: initiatives, programs and organizations that are championing inter-disciplinary and inclusive capacity building for ecosystem conservation and restoration, as well as the development of ecopreneurship skills and knowledge, with a focus on capacity-building for youth and young professionals.
- Advocacy, Inspiration, and Engagement: innovative campaigns, projects and organizations that inspire, build awareness and engage youth and individuals around the world for ecosystem restoration
Benefits
The best 10-20 submissions will be invited to a 4-month cohort programme facilitated by 1t.org to help scale and advance their impact. This programme, primarily designed for the leaders of the selected solutions (founders, CEOs, etc.), will include:
- Targeted Support: advice on technical, business, marketing and operational development questions
- Visibility: public exposure via the Forum’s digital media channels (public website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter)
- Access: opportunity to participate in selected World Economic Forum and 1t.org events, projects and communities; become part of 1t.org’s growing Innovator community and Challenge-related working group
- Connections: introduction to selected organisations in the Forum’s network (incl. potential investors); custom support offered by Forum Partners and 1t.org Partners
Eligibilities
- Environmental impact: includes the project’s direct impact (where applicable) on conservation, landscape restoration and tree cover, biodiversity conservation and restoration, soil quality, water tables and carbon sequestration. In case the project corresponds to focus areas 2 and 3, at a minimum, it must lay out the theory of change for the indirect impact its activities are expected to have on ecosystem conservation and restoration.
- Socio-economic impact: includes the project’s impact on job creation and local livelihoods, awareness-raising and behavioural change, as well as the inclusion of local communities and stakeholders in the use of traditional knowledge, leadership, decision-making and benefit-sharing (with a particular focus on women).
- Youth leadership and/or impact: includes the degree to which the project is youth-led, or includes youth in its decision-making process, and the extent to which the project’s main beneficiaries are youth.
- Inspirational impact: includes the project’s track-record and likelihood to go viral and inspire youth and other audiences around the world to become part of the #GenerationRestoration, as well as its uniqueness and use of interdisciplinary and intersectional knowledge.
- Operating model and potential for scale: includes a team with the right capacity and skillset to deliver on the project’s mission, the potential for scaling, and the extent to which the project has achieved financial viability and long-term sustainability, or has a vision and plan for achieving it.
Application Process
Apply online through the Apply Now link.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: June 15, 2021
Application ClosedOfficial link
