As the year winds down, we at the Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF) reflect with immense gratitude on an extraordinary 2024. Together with our grantee partners, supporters, and collaborators, we’ve achieved meaningful progress in advancing climate justice, empowering young leaders, and nurturing community-driven solutions.
Now, as we set our sights on 2025, we’re thrilled to share a highlight that underscores our collective impact: YCJF is an official finalist for the Intergenerational Leadership Award at the inaugural GAEA Awards for System Change, powered by the World Economic Forum.
Why This Matters 🌟
The GAEA Awards aim to shine a light on transformative collaborations that achieve system-wide impact. As climate change intensifies—with devastating droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes disrupting lives across the globe—it’s clear that urgent, scalable action is needed to meet the 1.5°C target. Yet, large-scale collaborations remain scarce.
The GAEA Awards bridge this gap by spotlighting organizations that effectively unite diverse stakeholders to tackle these challenges head-on. By amplifying these successes, the Awards inspire others to forge bold partnerships and foster more ambitious climate solutions.
Moreover, it celebrates innovative partnerships that drive system-wide change, moving beyond traditional celebrations of individual efforts. They aim to accelerate and scale successful collaborations in climate and nature by fostering a cross-sector community designed to support awardees.
Our Commitment 🤲🏼
For YCJF, this nomination reaffirms our commitment to youth-led action. In 2024, we took significant steps to support young leaders:
- We received 2000+ applications, resulting in 70 grantee partners for 2024, distributed across more than 40 countries and spanning 7 regions globally.
- In total, we've committed $1.8 million to support these partners, tripling the amount we granted in 2023.
- We kicked off our Capacity Development Program for grantee partners.
- We partnered with and were featured in media outlets like Alliance Magazine, Atmos Magazine, Inside Philanthropy, Bloomberg, and more.
- We curated and participated in 15+ global philanthropic and international events, highlighting the critical role of youth-led socio-environmental solutions in addressing the climate crisis.
Looking Ahead ✨
We invite you to learn more about the GAEA Awards and join us in celebrating the achievements of youth climate leaders worldwide. Together, let’s continue to champion bold, transformative action for our planet.
➡️ Explore the GAEA Awards: Visit the GAEA Awards website.
The winners of the GAEA Awards will be announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2025.