Kildare finalists announced for ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards

Young climate activists from Kildare are among the all-island finalists selected to go through to this year’s ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards (YEA), taking place on 8th May in the Convention Centre Dublin, North Wall.

ECO-UNESCO has announced the YEA 2025 finalists today (22/4/2025) to coincide with Earth Day which takes place every year on April 22 as part of Earth Month.

Four groups from three Co Kildare schools are among 102 finalists from across the island of Ireland to have succeeded at the semi-final ‘ECO-Dens’ stages of the YEAs last month (March) and who will now go on to showcase their shortlisted eco-projects at the YEAs this year.

They include:

• ‘The Impact Invasive species have on Biodiversity in Co. Kildare’, a project from St Wolstan's Community School in Celbridge, which is through to the Biodiversity Category of the awards. This group of young people investigated the impact invasive plants have on biodiversity in Kildare. The students carried out ecological surveys in different locations to analyse the frequency of the invasive and native plants in each area. They hope to raise awareness and highlight the importance of choosing native species for garden planting to support local ecosystems.

• ‘Celbridge Youth Environmental Action Group’, a project from Salesian College in Celbridge, is through to the Climate Change Category of the awards. This group of young people focused on evaluating local businesses to identify those that meet climate-friendly standards, awarding them with a special sticker to display in their windows. This initiative aims to reduce the town’s carbon footprint by supporting eco-conscious businesses, encouraging greener practices, and guiding customers toward environmentally responsible choices. They believe that local action drives global change.

• ‘Waste not, Want not’, a project from Newbridge College in Newbridge, is through to the Waste Category of the awards. The group of young people researched ways to reduce waste in their school, focusing on the Deposit Return Scheme (Re-turn) for bottles and cans. As school canteens are exempt from the scheme, the group noticed that students were disposing of bottles in recycling bins, unaware that they were throwing away money. The group surveyed the school community and reached out to local politicians to explore the possibility of implementing a scheme where Re-turn empties are collected to support local causes.

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The young people from Kildare will join over 1,000 young environmentalists from across Ireland for a day of celebration, inspiration, and climate action at the Young Environmentalist Awards.

ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards is an all-island programme that recognises the work of young people who are tackling key issues in relation to climate and biodiversity loss, taking environmental action in their school or community and coming up with creative solutions to solve environmental issues.

Now in its 26th year, the YEA programme has reached people in every county of Ireland, with a total of over 65,000 young people participating and 6,000 projects entered down through the years.

Commenting on this year’s YEA finalists, Elaine Nevin, National Director, ECO-UNESCO said: “The projects that have made it through to this year’s Young Environmentalist Awards reflect the mission of Earth Day, the theme of which this year is ‘Our Power, Our Planet’ ─ a call to action highlighting the transformative power of renewable energy and its role in creating a more sustainable and equitable future.

“Earth Day 2025 encourages individuals, communities, and governments to take action by adopting renewable energy solutions, advocating for supportive policies, and participating in local and global initiatives. Through their projects, young people have taken the lead in raising awareness of critical environmental issues, inspiring change in their communities, and championing more sustainable lifestyles.

“I would like to wish our finalists from Kildare the best of luck for the awards, congratulate those who took part in our regional semi-final ECO-Dens, and thank all our funders who make this all possible every year. Each and every project that enters the awards deserves to be celebrated!”

Further information about the Young Environmentalist Awards is available online at: https://ecounesco.ie/young-environmentalist-awards/