Awards open to inspiring young Cork environmentalists

Young environmentalists in Cork have been encouraged to take part in the Young Environmentalist Awards (YEA) 2025/2026, with registration now open.

Now in its 27th year, Eco-Unesco’s YEA celebrates and supports youth-led projects that address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

YEA is open to groups of young people aged 10 to 18 years across Ireland.

Participants are invited to design and deliver local environmental action projects in categories such as biodiversity, climate change, waste, energy, transport, art and design, health and wellbeing, and community development.

Eco-Unesco provides mentoring and support, offering training, resource packs, and guidance.

To coincide with the launch of YEA, Eco-Unesco is inviting young people in Cork to take part in Eco-Week 2025 from September 22 to 26, which will run alongside Sustainable Development Goals Week.

This week-long programme of free, expert-led online workshops will explore topics such as climate change and the links between nature, health, and wellbeing.

Eco-Unesco national director Elaine Nevin said: “The Young Environmentalist Awards show that young people, including from Cork, are leading the way with creative, practical solutions to environmental challenges.

“From planting for biodiversity to cutting waste in schools, their actions prove that local projects can make a global difference,” she said.

“Eco-Week 2025 is the perfect springboard for starting YEA projects, giving young people from Cork the knowledge and inspiration to kick off their journey.”

Eco-Week 2025 sessions are tailored for two age groups (8-12 and 13-18) and are open to schools, youth groups, and community groups in Cork, with the option to join live or via playback.

To register for the 2026 YEA, https://ecounesco.ie/young-environmentalist-awards, or email yea@ecounesco.ie for more information. Registration closes on November 7, 2025, while project submissions close on February 10, 2026.

To register to take part in Eco-Week, visit https://ecounesco.ie/what-we-do/eco-weeks.