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• Masdar-led global initiative invites youth to become the next generation of sustainability leaders

• Applications for Future Sustainability Leaders and Sustainability Ambassadors programs open until November 30, 2025

Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S), Masdar’s global initiative to empower the next generation of sustainability leaders, has officially opened registration for its 2026 programs. Young people are invited to apply for one of the initiative’s year-long programs, which aim to equip youth with the skills, mentorship, and networks needed to lead the clean energy transformation.

Y4S empowers youth to become sustainability leaders through two core programs: Future Sustainability Leaders, which is a global program for university students and young professionals aged 19-35; and Sustainability Ambassadors, which is open to UAE-based senior high school students, from 15-18. Through immersive forums, global engagements, mentorship, and innovation challenges Y4S equips participants with the skills, networks, and experiences needed to drive real-world impact in sustainability and the green economy.

Registration is open until November 30 for the 2026 programs. Since its inception in 2016, Y4S has engaged thousands of young people globally, with the initiative receiving nearly 1,000 applications for just 120 places last year, reflecting the growing demand for programs that prepare youth to drive sustainability solutions.

Dr Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director of Brand & Strategic Initiatives at Masdar, said:

Participants will gain hands-on experience through engagements with leading UAE companies, government stakeholders, policy groups, and think tanks. Guided by Y4S mentors, including clean energy pioneers, tech innovators, and sustainability entrepreneurs, program members will gain industry insight and build lasting connections. The program’s emphasis on peer-to-peer learning ensures that every participant is part of a community committed to driving change.

This year’s registration theme, “Write the Next Chapter,”, invites youth to envision themselves as the next generation of sustainability changemakers. Y4S remains committed to inclusive leadership and youth-led climate action, with a strong focus on gender diversity and representation.

Applications for the 2026 Y4S cohort are open until November 30, 2025, at www.y4s.ae. With limited places available, early registration is encouraged.

Y4S named ‘Innovator of the Year’ for Middle East and North Africa region in Sustainable Energy for All’s Energy Heroes Awards 2025

Masdar’s Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) initiative, has been named ‘Innovator of the Year’ for Middle East and North Africa region in the Energy Heroes Awards 2025, recognizing its leadership in empowering the next generation of sustainability champions.

Presented by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the award celebrates Y4S's outstanding contribution to equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed to drive energy transformation and build a sustainable future. Y4S is a global initiative that invests in and actively supports the development of young people.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said,

Y4S achieves its objectives through a comprehensive suite of programs. The Sustainability Ambassadors (SA) program is a year-long program aimed at senior high-school students (aged 15-18), designed to enable them to become sustainability champions through skills training, work experience, and networking opportunities. The Future Sustainability Leaders (FSL) program is a year-long initiative connecting university students and young professionals (aged 19-35) with global business leaders, policymakers, and technology pioneers.

SEforALL, launched by former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2011, is an international organization working in partnership with the UN, governments, the private sector, financial institutions and civil society to drive action on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Masdar’s Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) has announced the opening of registration for its 2025 program. Y4S is a global initiative dedicated to nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders.

As the world navigates a crucial energy transition, Y4S equips young people with essential skills, knowledge, and networks needed for the job market of tomorrow to drive a sustainable future.

As applications for the 2025 cohort open today on 19 September, Y4S participants past and present talk about the skills and benefits they have gained personally from being part of a global initiative preparing them to be the next generation of sustainability leaders and change makers.

Y4S offers two distinct programs. The Sustainability Ambassadors (SA) program, designed for students based in the UAE, provides immersive learning experiences, including site visits to Masdar's world-leading clean energy projects, engagement with influential UAE leaders, and participation in pivotal global events like COP29. In addition, the Future Sustainability Leaders program brings together a select group of international students and young professionals, connecting them with global business leaders, offering access to top accelerators and incubators, and facilitating participation in key events like New York Climate Week.

Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director for Brand & Strategic Initiatives, Masdar, and Program Director of WiSER, said:

Zainab Al Ali, Director of Outreach and Stakeholder Relations at Masdar, commented:

The 2025 Y4S cohort will experience site visits to Masdar's flagship projects, such as the Al Dhafra Solar Project and the UAE Wind Program, where participants gain firsthand insights on world-leading energy projects both within the UAE and internationally. Y4S also facilitates networking opportunities that connect participants with industry leaders, policymakers, and experts from renowned organizations, to build relationships and find mentorship opportunities.

Speaking about the benefits she had gained from joining Y4S, Amna Al Hammadi, Future Sustainability Leader 2024, said:

Zein Altawil, Future Sustainability Leader 2023, added

Y4S emphasizes skills development through interactive workshops and training sessions that train participants with practical skills in areas such as climate change mitigation, renewable energy technologies, and sustainable business practices.

Applications for the 2025 Y4S cohort program are now open at www.y4s.ae. With limited places available, young people are encouraged to register as soon as possible and can find out everything they need to know on the Y4S website.

• Y4S Forum held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council

• Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) Forum delivers full day of engaging discussions and inspirational speakers at COP28 to advance youth leadership in climate action

• Y4S Forum provides an important engagement initiative and voice for young people and showcases vital role of youth in addressing climate change

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) - the UAE’s premier youth empowerment platform on sustainability - hosted an insightful program of empowering discussions and speeches at the Y4S Forum at COP28.

Held on COP28’s day for Youth, Children, Education and Skills, the Y4S Forum opened with a Youth Circle with HE Engineer Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, who encouraged the young audience to reflect on the three major factors affecting energy supply – the environment, affordability and security of supply – and emphasized the importance of balancing these factors.

Masdar Executive Director of Brand and Strategic Initiatives, and Y4S Program Director, Dr Lamya Fawwaz, said:

The wide-ranging panel discussions included the role of Y4S in climate action, the impact of start ups, and the role of youth as climate policy advocates. Among those speaking at the Y4S Forum, Tom Simmons, CEO of Supplant, described how the company addressed some of the big health and climate issues by taking the most abundant and discarded parts of crops, transforming them into natural replacements for refined sugar and starch.

Esther Wanjiru Kimani, Founder & Managing Director at Farmer Lifeline Technologies in Kenya, described how the company had developed the first-ever solar-powered AI-based crop pest and diseases detection devices that can improve farm yields by at least 40 percent.

Shaikha Al Zaabi, Vice President Youth Council, Mubadala, stressed the importance of investing in projects and initiatives to help build a better future for the planet and find solutions for climate change.

Further panel discussions were devoted to the subjects of investment in green technologies, the circular economy and sustainable practices, concluding with a Sustainable Innovation Workshop and networking event.

Y4S aims to empower young sustainability leaders by connecting them with policymakers, entrepreneurs, and technology pioneers. Y4S will continue leading sustainability-focused events and activities for youth during COP28 and beyond, providing the next generation with education, leadership training, and opportunities to take tangible climate action.

• Panel of expert judges selected ANMA as the winner of the 2023 Innovate 4 Climate (I4C) Challenge in Final Pitch Day at COP28 Green Zone.

• ANMA’s innovative solution delivers potential to address energy wastage by changing the demand behavior of residential users.

• Y4S program of activities at COP28 connects young people with global policymakers, corporate decision-makers, and entrepreneurs

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S), a Masdar initiative and the UAE’s premier youth empowerment platform on sustainability, has today announced the winner for the Innovate 4 Climate (I4C) 2023 Challenge.

The competition, which invites young people to develop innovative solutions to accelerate sustainable development, concluded after a series of assessments at a final pitch day at Masdar’s Pavilion in the Green Zone at COP28 in Dubai.

This year’s panel of expert judges chose ANMA as the 2023 winner for a project which used AI-based demand response programs to engage residential energy users and change their demand behavior to avoid wastage in the fight against climate change. 

The judges praised ANMA’s submission for addressing a very real issue and providing an innovative solution that would support sustainability in the energy sector. The combination of gamification and IoT had a huge potential to become a game-changing solution in the future, they added.

Masdar Executive Director of Brand and Strategic Initiatives, and Y4S Program Director, Dr Lamya Fawwaz, said:

Through programs like Innovate 4 Climate Challenge, Y4S aims to empower young sustainability leaders by connecting them with policymakers, entrepreneurs, and technology pioneers. Y4S will continue leading sustainability-focused events and activities for youth during COP28 and beyond, providing the next generation with education, leadership training, and opportunities to take tangible climate action.

• Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) to host international program at COP28 to inspire the sustainability leaders of tomorrow.

• Includes Innovate 4 Climate Challenge finalists (December 6), the Y4S Forum (December 8) and the Y4S Climate Talk (December 11).

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S), a Masdar initiative, will host a dedicated program of youth-focused activities and events at COP28 in Expo City, Dubai, from November 30 to December 12. The Y4S program promotes meaningful, youth-led action on sustainable development and climate change, while amplifying the voices of future sustainability leaders.

On December 6, Y4S will host the final of the Innovate 4 Climate Challenge (I4C). This annual competition invites young people to collaborate to develop innovative solutions to accelerate sustainable development in order to foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Taking place at Masdar’s Pavilion located in the Energy Transition Hub in COP28’s Green Zone, all solutions will be showcased during the final pitch day at COP28. The final of I4C will now see a select group of competitors pitch their climate mitigation-focused solutions to an expert panel of judges.

On December 8 – COP28’s day for Youth, Children, Education and Skills – Y4S will host the Y4S Forum in the Masdar Pavilion under the theme of “Advancing Youth Participation in Climate Mitigation”. The Forum will provide an important engagement platform and voice for young people and showcase the vital role youth can play in addressing climate change. Through panel discussions, and interactive workshops, participants will have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with like-minded individuals. Panelists include: H.E. Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman, Department of Energy; Alan Smith, CEO, Aghtia; Esther Wanjiru Kimani, CEO, Farmer Life Technologies, and Maryam Al Mansoori, General Manager, Rebound Plastic.

Y4S’s COP28 program will culminate on December 11 with the Y4S Climate Talk, a 45-minute panel discussion at the Children and Youth Pavilion, under the theme “Reimagining the Climate Narrative Through Storytelling for a Positive Youth Impact.” The event will showcase the outcomes of the Forum and inspire young people to take an active role in building a more sustainable future. Speakers include Mohamed Luqman, President of Mubadala Youth Council & Co-founder of Seven Dawgs; AlDhabi AlMheiri, the youngest Emirati entrepreneur and publisher and founder of Rainbow Chimney; Toby Gregory, Founder and Project director, the Plastic Pledge and the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team.

His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, emphasized that the role of youth in tackling climate change has never been more important. His Highness highlighted that as the UAE hosts and participates in discussions that will help drive decisive global action, it is imperative that young people are empowered with the skills to lead on climate solutions. Youth 4 Sustainability, he added, is preparing future sustainability leaders who will harness their talents, engage their communities, and build a sustainable future.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Masdar Chief Executive Officer, said:

Climate change risks inflicting a heavy toll on future generations. In some parts of the world, it is already limiting access to healthcare or education, damaging food and water systems and affecting air quality. Given the disproportionate impact on young people, it is critical to use platforms like COP28 and Y4S to empower young people as agents of change and innovators working to protect lives, livelihoods and the planet.

Applications are also now open for Y4S’s prestigious programs to start in January 2024 – Future Sustainability Leaders and Sustainability Ambassadors - supporting the growth of the next generation of pioneers and innovators. Participants benefit from real-world skills, as well as developing the knowledge and networks needed to accelerate their academic and professional careers in sustainability.