Young Climate Prize 03 draws 490 Applications from 85 Countries
Submissions for Cycle 03 closed June 30, 2026 with applicants as young as 13 representing communities on the front lines of the climate crisis.
The World Around team extends our heartfelt thanks to every young person who applied to Cycle 03 of the Young Climate Prize. On June 30, our open call closed after receiving 490 applications from 85 countries, the largest and most geographically diverse response in the program's history.
Submissions arrived from across countries including Ukraine, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Zambia, Egypt, the United States, Nigeria, Kenya, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the UAE, and India, reflecting the program's global ethos and wide reach. The breadth and ambition of these proposals reaffirm our founding conviction that the most urgent and innovative solutions are emerging from young people on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Applicants included individuals as young as 13, underscoring how deeply the climate crisis is mobilizing the youngest generation.
The 65% increase in applications over last year's cycle reflects something larger than the growth of a program. It signals a growing global community of young people who are committed to addressing the climate crisis with creativity, determination, and hope.
The Young Climate Prize is a global mentorship and award program founded by The World Around that champions and accelerates the next generation of climate leaders. Each finalist is paired with a world-renowned designer for one-on-one mentorship and joins a cohort-wide Design Academy of talks, workshops, and strategy sessions. The program culminates at The World Around Summit in New York City, where prize winners present their work and visions for a more resilient future.
The Cycle 03 cohort of 25 under-25s will be announced in September 2026, along with each of the mentors supporting these bright young minds.
We are grateful for everyone who applied and to our partners, ambassadors, and supporters who make this possible. The Official Design Partner of Young Climate Prize is MillerKnoll.The Design Academy is supported by a grant from the Obel Foundation and facilitated by our academic partner, the AA School of Architecture. Our Institutional Partners are Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF), Climate Film Festival, Grace Farms, Sweetwater Foundation, and World Water Film Festival. Young Climate Prize 03 media partners are PIN-UP Magazine, STIR, and The Grand Tourist.
