Young Environmentalist 2010 Awards

Registration is now open for Ireland’s most exciting environmental awards programme for young people, the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards. The ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2010 were launched by RTE’s Aidan Power and a group of young environmentalists in Dublin. The Awards are open to groups of young people, aged 12-18, who want to take action on key environmental issues such as Climate Change.

'Last year’s awards saw some excellent environmental projects from all across Ireland - from bug hotels to green transport campaigns, and even an awareness-raising expedition to the arctic! We are looking forward to more great projects this year. Through these innovative projects young people are directly involved in learning and raising awareness about Climate Change and other important environmental issues in the countdown to Copenhagen,' said Elaine Nevin, National Director of ECO-UNESCO.

Each May, ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation, hosts the Young Environmentalist Awards National Showcase and Awards Ceremony to honour the outstanding green achievements of young people, aged 12 to 18, from youth groups and schools across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The National Showcase, which is open to the public, attracts hundreds of young people who get an opportunity to show their environmental project work.

'Over the past decade, these Awards have encouraged young people to engage in environmental projects and contribute to changes in attitude and lifestyle that are critical to the future of our planet,' commented Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO in a letter of support to ECO-UNESCO.

Entrants in ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards have until February 2010 to complete their project in one of twelve categories including Climate Change, biodiversity, community development and transport. Once registered, Young Environmentalist Awards groups can take advantage of ECO-UNESCO’s advice and support as their projects progress. Registration for ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards 2010 will close at the end of November 2009.

Teachers and youth leaders can register groups of 2-20 young people at www.ecounesco.ie or by contacting ECO-UNESCO at +353 1 6625491 or info@ecounesco.ie.