ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s leading environmental education and youth organisation, is calling on young people across Ireland to take action and enter the 2023 Young Environmentalist Awards programme (YEAs). In its 24th year, the Young Environmentalist Awards programme supports thousands of young people from 10 to 18 years of age as they raise awareness and take environmental action both locally and nationally.
Elaine Nevin, National Director of ECO-UNESCO said “We are thrilled to announce that the 2023 Young Environmentalists Awards programme is now open for applications. This year’s awards are launching at the start of Ireland’s first ever Sustainable Development Goal week. As part of this week’s wider call to action from our government to focus on sustainable development in Ireland, we are asking young people to take action, raise awareness and develop creative solutions that support our sustainable development goals.
In a recent survey by ECO-UNESCO, 93% of young people want climate action to be a bigger part of school life with 60% reporting feelings of anxiety around climate change. The 2023 Young Environmentalist Awards is the perfect opportunity for young people to get involved, learn new skills and be a part of the solution to creating a more sustainable planet for their future.”
The 2022 YEA People’s Choice Award Winners from Skerries Community College are encouraging young people to follow in their footsteps to create projects in their school, community or at home that will address our environmental issues. Ellen Farrell and Sean Byrne created ReWildiNG (Replenish Wildflowers’ Native Growth) last year to address the issue of biodiversity loss. Ellen said “Our project links with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on Land in which we created awareness and supported the growth of native wildflowers in Ireland. Without them our ecosystems suffer. We want to inspire others to help biodiversity and take necessary action to reach our sustainable development goals.”
The YEA programme is a fun and exciting way for young people to build awareness and promote local actions and lifestyle changes to protect the environment. The final showcase will be held in May 2023. To register, please go to www.YEA.ie
Pic: Julien Behal Photography
