Youth for Climate, Tirana Edition aims to integrate the city of Tirana and its citizens towards a better, sustainable future by addressing climate challenges and bringing innovative solutions. “Youth for Climate, Tirana Edition” is a global initiative happening simultaneously in 38 countries across 6 continents, aiming to engage young people as a powerful link in our communities for environmental issues.

This initiative welcomes project applications at the beginning of June and aims to announce several winning groups, awarding financial prizes up to $5,000 to implement climate-focused projects.

The Municipality of Tirana invites all young people to join the initiative aimed at engaging youth for the climate within the framework of the Youth Climate Action Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, supported by UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments) together with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, implemented by the Municipality of Tirana and ICTSlab!

Application Fields:

Increasing Green Spaces
Green spaces are a key resource for the well-being and creation of sustainable communities in municipalities like Tirana, which welcomes several million tourists each year alongside its resident population. These spaces will not only help young people engage in their communities and be part of a global initiative but will also significantly improve climate issues in the capital with initiatives such as: rehabilitating parks and public spaces, creating green pockets in residential blocks, creating green corridors, and greening urban roundabouts. Such initiatives aim to improve and modernize the existing space infrastructure, add recreational and educational elements, and promote the use of sustainable and recycled materials.

Sustainable Transport Implementation
The increase in urban population has led to a rise in the number of transportation vehicles in the city, affecting the increase in pollutant gas emissions and traffic, directly impacting climate damage. However, modern transport challenges are becoming subjects of advanced technology solutions, where addressing these issues in this sector significantly improves the quality of urban living by reducing air pollution, saving time on mobility, and ensuring safer roads for road users. Digital technologies in the field of mobility increasingly enable smart solutions towards a new mindset of transport in urban areas. To solve this challenge, applications with innovative ideas are welcome, such as: applications/platforms (e.g., Driver Behavior Improvement Platform, Devices, etc.) and any other ideas contributing to the development and promotion of efficient, accessible, and ecological mobility in the Municipality of Tirana.

Sustainable and Climate-Friendly Energy
As part of the digital revolution, young people have the potential to play an active role in promoting and embracing initiatives aimed at building a sustainable, climate-friendly energy system. The overconsumption of existing energy resources brings the essential need to change approaches and bring new initiatives promoting the use of alternative sustainable energy sources. Proposed solutions for this challenge can contribute to the use of safe and alternative energy sources, with higher energy efficiency, implemented in public buildings such as: schools, kindergartens, nurseries, institutions, etc., technological solutions enabling the smooth running of processes related to sustainable energy, etc.

Circular Economy
Climate changes, which come with noticeable consequences for our cities such as temperature increases, weather changes, and sea-level rise, bring the need to adapt infrastructure and community activities to mitigate this negative impact. For this reason, many countries have adopted the circular economy, which is based on the principles of the 5 Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. The circular economy implies keeping products and materials in use to recreate and rebuild, aiming to gain maximum value from every product throughout its lifecycle. Its goal is to contribute to creating a more sustainable climate by refusing unnecessary products, reducing resource usage, returning products into circulation, creating new products from recycled materials, and using various technologies to make this process as efficient and sustainable as possible. For this challenge, young people are encouraged to apply with ideas that bring attention to the 5 Rs of the circular economy and develop solutions promoting the use of technology, innovation, and community collaboration to create a more sustainable environment and climate.

Climate Change
To cope with climate change, many cities, including Tirana, are implementing concrete measures such as improving energy efficiency in buildings, promoting the use of renewable energies, and developing green public transport. Additionally, cities are investing in green infrastructure, including building parks and urban gardens, creating green corridors that improve biodiversity, and reducing the urban “heat island” effect. Such initiatives would help the capital use its resources more efficiently while addressing the challenges posed by climate change, impacting various generations not only today but also in the future.

Raising Awareness about Climate and Sustainable Communities
Every individual has the responsibility to act for a healthier and more sustainable future concerning the changes that cause climate changes in our daily lives. These changes range from health impacts to daily life activities, thus affecting various spheres of our lives. Young people, as catalysts of our communities, have the potential to help by contributing to raising awareness among their peers and beyond regarding these effects through various activities such as informative campaigns, educational activities in the community and school, flash mobs, awareness campaigns through digital means, etc.

Project Duration:
The duration of targeted projects should be up to 5 months.

Financial Support for Winning Groups:
All winning groups will be funded up to $5,000 to implement their ideas within the deadlines set by the project, focusing on solving one or more of the challenges of “Youth for Climate, Tirana Edition.”

Evaluation Criteria:

Realistic implementation and feasibility of the project
Clarity of the project budget
Promotion of environmental responsibility by the project
Justification of the need for the project
Expansion of the community or information about sustainable and climate-friendly development by the project

Innovation and creativity of the project

Application Deadline: July 25, 2024

Apply here