UNOOSA launches third edition of Space4Youth competition

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), in cooperation with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), has launched the third edition of the Space4Youth competition. This competition encourages young people worldwide to share their ideas on how to tackle climate challenges using space, thus contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To participate, anyone aged 18-35 years should submit an essay on “Space as a tool to foster climate adaptation and mitigation”, with concrete examples of how space science and applications can make a difference at the local, national or international level. 

The Space4Youth competition is part of the official PreCOP26 and “Youth4Climate2021: Driving Ambition” programme organised by Italy in view of the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), which will be held in Glasgow in November 2021. 

For the third year in a row, the United States Mission to International Organizations in Vienna will support the Competition and winners will be awarded a trip to the United States to meet with representatives of the U.S. space sector and attend Adult Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Winners will also participate in an online event organized by the U.K. Space Agency where experts from the United Kingdom and the U.S. will provide feedback to the winners and, if feasible, support them in developing their ideas further.

Applications are open until 26 April and all information on how to apply can be found here: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/space4youth/competition/2021/index.html 

UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo said: “Space-based technologies and data play a key role in climate knowledge, science, monitoring, early warning and adaptation. The talent of young people will be fundamental in helping humanity leverage its full potential to confront what the United Nations Secretary-General called “the defining challenge of our time”: climate change. The previous two editions of the competition have brought great ideas to the table, and we look forward to helping other young people contribute their talents for the future of the space sector, and of society at large, through this third edition.”

SGAC Executive Director Davide Petrello said: “SGAC is thrilled to continue our engagement with UNOOSA and to initiate the third edition of the Space for Youth Competition. The focus of this year’s competition is based on fostering actions and commitments for climate mitigation and adaptation, following the outstanding success of the second edition. The next generation has a key role in providing innovative ideas on how space can mitigate these challenges. We are proud of this collaboration, that provides an important platform to enable young people’s contributions as agents of change in a common international challenge.”