2019 Global Youth Video Competition Now Open For Applications

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Young people from around the world are encouraged to submit videos for the 2019 Global Youth Video Competition showcasing positive solutions on three themes: Nature-based Solutions for Food and Human Health; Cities and Local Action to Combat Climate Change; and Nature-Based Solutions to balance the use of land for people and ecosystems.

This year, the fifth edition of the video competition aims to mobilize global youth around the Climate Action Summit organized in September by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The competition is led by the secretariats of the three Rio Conventions: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in partnership with the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and Television for the Environment (tve).

One winner will be selected per category. The three winners will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile, in December 2019. The winning videos will be screened in front of a global audience at the conference. In addition, the videographers will have the opportunity to work with UN Climate Change’s communications team, covering highlights of the conference.

“Youth are powerful agents of change,” said UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa. “I am looking forward to see their energy and creativity reflected in all three themes of the competition this year which we have developed in close partnership with the Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity. I’m also looking forward to see the voice of youth reflected at the September Climate Action Summit and the December Climate Change Conference in Chile in many creative and impactful ways.”

CBD Executive Secretary Cristiana Paşca Palmer said: “Young people have the capacity to influence adults and convince them to act now, and before it is too late They have the drive and motivation to help find solutions to environmental challenges and transform damaging habits into beneficial actions for life on earth. The CBD has always encouraged youth to take action and bring innovative and creative solutions for biodiversity. I look forward to working with our sister Conventions in disseminating the youth’s messages about the three themes of the competition to actors at all levels.”

“More and more young people are voicing concern about environmental degradation. Their proposals for solving seemingly intractable environmental issues are often beyond our imagination. With this video competition, we will see the world through their eyes, and get inspiration to protect and restore valuable land and ecosystems to sustain us all today, while securing their future,” said Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Entrants must be between 18 and 30 years of age and should submit a maximum 3-minute video by 28 July 2019 on one of the themes outlined above dealing with nature-based solutions and local climate action.