The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) supports its 193 Member States in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and living in harmony with nature. UNEP youth work in the regions and countries includes implementing our flagship projects on a national level, engaging in national dialogue processes, conducting capacity-building courses and workshops for government institutions to strengthen their youth development policies.
Africa
The Charles R. Wall Young African Policy Fellows is a professional training program designed to develop young conservation leaders. A core element of the program is fostering collaboration among participants with diverse experiences and backgrounds. The fellowships aim to foster appreciation for this diversity and establish a network of professionals grounded in the realities of conservation complexities across the continent. The course aims to develop negotiation skills, foster networking, and create a pool of young negotiators in the biodiversity sector.
Asia
West Asia Sustainable Fashion Accelerator is a regional mentorship program launched to foster youth innovation in circular economy practices, specifically in the fashion and textiles sector. This accelerator supported young entrepreneurs in developing circular fashion solutions. The mentorship program highlighted youth-led innovation in textile recycling and sustainable design, aligning these projects with UNEP’s Global Roadmap on Sustainability and Circularity in Textiles.
Asia-Pacific
Thematic working group on environmental action (TWG-ECA) under the Asia Pacific Inter-agency Network on Youth (APINY)
The TWG-ECA is part of the UN Asia Pacific Inter-agency Network on Youth (APINY) and serves as a coordinating and supporting mechanism to the different UN Agencies working on youth climate action in Asia and the Pacific. It facilitates dialogue, networking, information and opportunity sharing, as well as collaboration among UN agencies, civil society, youth-led organizations, youth networks, and other stakeholders. UNEP currently co-chairs the TWG-ECA togehter with CYMG.
Latin America and the Caribbean
GenerAction
GenerAction is a youth community of practice developed within the framework of Nature4Cities (N4C), a UNEP project that supports national and local governments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in accelerating climate action in cities by protecting and/or restoring ecosystem services through Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
Creadores del Mañana
The UNEP LAC regional office, in collaboration with TikTok LatAm, supports “Creadores del Mañana” (‘Tomorrow’s creators’), promoting sustainability lessons and digital content creation through its platform to artists and influencers, achieving significant engagement and outreach. The collaboration has resulted in high visibility and interaction, demonstrating the potential of digital platforms in promoting sustainability initiatives and opening doors for further engagement during key events such as the Biodiversity COP16.
