Young Climate Professionals

Young Climate Professionals (YCP) is a green literacy project which aims to promote active citizenship through civic education among young adults across Europe for a more sustainable continent. Through series of activities (on- and offline), young people are equipped with in-depth knowledge in the field of green literacy, as well as personal development skills. The different activities include inputs from regional experts, grassroots actors, and innovators, along with group discussions and assignments that break down the complexities of the European Green Deal, making its objectives more graspable. Online interaction tools such as joint working platforms facilitate the sharing of knowledge and strengthen interconnections among participants.

At the core of the YCP programme is the creation of real actionable green mini-projects by the participants. Throughout the programme, participants are guided, encouraged, and supported to transform their sustainability ideas into impactful youth-led initiatives, to be implemented in their home communities and aimed at raising green literacy and environmental awareness locally. In doing so, the programme helps them build key project management skills – from planning, communicating, and monitoring progress to evaluating outcomes and securing funding to ensure the continuity and longevity of their ideas. Each participant benefits from tailored one-on-one consultations with experts, offering valuable insights and feedback to help bring their project plans to life. The most outstanding project ideas will receive a mini grant during our closing meeting in Zagreb, the YCP Campus – supporting their implementation phase.

With the ultimate goal of enhancing individual sustainability competencies, we believe that the YCPs will become agents of change who can help tackle climate issues and support the green transition in an inclusive way. The project’s long-term aim is to build a network of Young Climate Professionals in Europe. This alliance can become a vehicle for joint cross-border green literacy projects that make Europe’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 more attainable.

Activity I (online): Kick-off, Get Together & Onboarding – 28.09.2024
RESILIENCE & ADAPTATION | Community resilience and adaptation: building climate-resilient societies

Activity II (online): Talk & Discussion I – 19.10.2024
FOOD SYSTEMS | From Farm to Fork: a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system

NECE Campus (webinar): Bridging borders – 07.11.2024
Talks across generations about climate change

Activity III (online): Talk & Discussion II – 18.01.2025
BIODIVERSITY | Preserving & restoring ecosystems and biodiversity

Activity IV (on-site): YCP Campus, Zagreb – 13.-16.02.2025
GREEN CITIES | Transforming Urban Environments for Sustainability

Young adults (age 18-25), who want to make a green change in their local community or country from across Europe. Even though participation is open to all European countries for this second cohort, we highly encourage applicants with an interest in promoting and implementing green projects from Eastern/Southeastern Europe, the Baltics and the Mediterranean region. Prioritisation in the selection process may apply.

Our current call for applications has been closed we will inform you in case any new calls open up.

The increasing environmental degradation due to climate change is affecting all of us, especially the future generations. Inspired by the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we want to create a transnational working and learning space, which enables European youth to exchange thoughts and ideas on new and innovative approaches to green citizenship. Additionally, we aim to translate the framework of the European Green Deal into more hands-on practical strategies that help us change daily patterns of behaviour, lifestyles and social aspects of life in an inclusive and affordable manner.

With peer-to-peer learning methods, we want to both shed light on country and context-specific perspectives on sustainability as well as highlight the commonalities across Europe. The YCPs will become agents of transformation in their own communities and can share the knowledge they have gained with peers and in their local networks. By raising awareness and sharing know-how on strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation, YCPs will help shape a more sustainable and future-proof Europe.