A Masterclass Series to Catalyze Climate Innovation
How ClimateX is connecting young innovators with the tools and partnerships needed to drive impact.
In 2023, UNICEF launched its Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan to harness the incredible potential of young people as key stakeholders in addressing the climate crisis.
Through Innovation 30: Young Climate Innovators Shaping the Future, UNICEF is leveraging collaborative opportunities to identify, iterate and scale climate solutions - developed by young innovators with the potential to address the impact of climate change on the lives of millions of children and their communities. A key part of this approach is UNICEF’s partnership with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), which powers ClimateX, a central pillar of Innovation30.
ClimateX provides essential expertise and resources to young innovators and UNICEF country offices, equipping them to turn ambitious ideas into tangible solutions. With a strong emphasis on aligning innovators with UNICEF country offices, this partnership fosters a localized approach to addressing the climate crisis and building capacity within countries to develop and scale climate solutions.
ClimateX: Building local climate solutions with global reach
From Brazil to Jamaica, Ghana to the State of Palestine, participating teams are creating partnerships and advancing impactful, community-focused initiatives to drive meaningful global change. At the core of ClimateX is a mission to cultivate a vibrant climate innovation ecosystem that connects young innovators with UNICEF experts, creating a global pipeline of climate solutions.
The critical alignment with local contexts underscores the value of striving to build a global network. As James Cole, Chief Innovation Officer, CISL, articulates, “International innovation is crucial for addressing the diverse challenges posed by climate change, particularly in the Global South. By supporting youth-led enterprises and providing them with mentorship and resources, we can unlock innovative solutions tailored to local contexts.”
Masterclass Series: Convening the next generation of innovation leaders
Delivered through six masterclass sessions, ClimateX brings together over 60 participants, including climate innovation specialists, Innovation30 innovators, and more than 40 UNICEF country office staff from 20 countries across the Global South. The series is designed to enhance climate innovation skills and knowledge, empowering country office teams to lead climate action.
Reflecting on the importance of collaboration, Camila Valdivieso Arpi, Adolescent Development and Participation Officer, UNICEF Equatorial Guinea Country Office said, “Through the Innovation30 initiative, we partnered with an inspiring young innovator, Ruben from South Africa to bring the Captain FanPlastic innovation to Equatorial Guinea—where transformative initiatives like this are urgently needed to catalyze change.”
“The ClimateX Masterclass series has amplified our impact by equipping us with the essential skills and knowledge to scale these innovations, ensuring our climate efforts are sustainable, far-reaching, and transformative for children and adolescents.”
Camila Valdivieso Arpi, Adolescent Development and Participation Officer, UNICEF Equatorial Guinea.
Each masterclass covers critical topics such as AI in climate solutions, sustainability leadership, renewable energy systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, and financing innovation at scale. Each innovator is paired with industry leaders from CISL’s global network of fellows for tailored mentorship throughout the scale-up process. These sessions enable participants to address local climate vulnerabilities collaboratively while learning how to scale up impactful innovations. Co-creation workshops further facilitate partnerships between young innovators and UNICEF country offices, driving actionable, context-specific climate solutions.
Young innovators leading change
The young innovators involved in this initiative have developed groundbreaking solutions that align with local sustainability needs.
Marybel Montoya Alvarez from Colombia leads Fungi Life, an innovative platform that utilizes fungi to produce biodegradable biosurfactants as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based products.
Diana Orembe from Tanzania spearheads NovFeed, transforming discarded fruits and vegetables into high-quality fish feed, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Mohamed Khaled from Egypt has designed LifeBox, a solar-powered solution that desalinates water and provides access to clean energy, capable of serving communities of up to three thousand houses in a single day.
Providing young innovators with the mentorship and tools needed to scale their solutions is critical to ensuring these innovations can make the social impact needed to reverse the impact of climate change on the lives of those most vulnerable to it – at a global scale.
“ClimateX marks an exciting step forward in our mission to connect young climate innovators with the expertise of UNICEF’s country offices,” says Eleonora Gatti, Innovation Lead, Innovation30. “This program is not just about mentorship; it’s about unlocking the potential for real, scalable impact through the combined strength of Innovation30’s brilliant minds and UNICEF’s global reach.”
Looking ahead, UNICEF aims to expand the reach and impact of ClimateX, capitalising on this collaborative approach to climate action to ensure young innovators remain central to driving global resilience and sustainability.
