Climate change is rapidly reshaping the world. Rising global temperatures, biodiversity loss, water stress, food insecurity, and increasing climate-related disasters are affecting communities, economies, and ecosystems across countries. According to the IPCC, the world is likely to exceed critical warming thresholds unless urgent climate action is taken within this decade. Global scientific assessments continue to warn that delayed action will intensify environmental, social, and economic risks for future generations.

In response, international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement (2015) and the annual Conference of Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have emphasised the importance of innovation, sustainability, and youth engagement in climate action. Across the world, young people are increasingly driving climate movements, building green enterprises, leading community action, and developing climate-tech innovations focused on renewable energy, sustainable design, waste management, biodiversity conservation, and resilience building.

At the same time, young people are among those most directly affected by climate change. Studies indicate that climate disruptions increasingly affect education, health, livelihoods, mobility, and mental well-being among youth populations worldwide. Climate anxiety, uncertainty about the future, and growing environmental risks are becoming major concerns for younger generations.

India reflects both the urgency of the climate crisis and the immense potential of youth-led innovation. The country continues to face severe climate vulnerabilities through floods, droughts, cyclones, heatwaves, and erratic weather events. Reports indicate that India witnessed extreme weather events on more than 320 days in 2024 alone. More than 80% of the country’s population lives in climate-vulnerable districts, highlighting the need for locally driven climate solutions and resilient communities.

At the same time, India has one of the world’s largest youth populations, with nearly half of its citizens below the age of 30. This demographic strength creates a powerful opportunity to channel youth creativity, scientific thinking, entrepreneurship, and technological imagination towards solving real-world environmental challenges.

It is within this context that the Climate Innovators Challenge for Youth (CLICY) has been envisioned. The programme aims to empower students from colleges and universities to become active climate innovators rather than passive observers of the crisis. Built around the philosophy of Ideate – Innovate – Create, CLICY encourages participants to identify local climate challenges and transform them into practical, scalable, and technology-driven solutions.

Through mentoring support, innovation workshops, expert interactions, exposure visits, and access to innovation ecosystems, students gain hands-on learning opportunities in emerging areas such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate engineering, sustainable design, and green technologies. The programme promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and climate leadership among youth.

More than a competition, CLICY is a platform that nurtures young changemakers capable of transforming ideas into action and innovation into impact. By empowering youth to design solutions for resilient and sustainable communities, the programme contributes towards building a future that is climate-conscious, inclusive, and innovation-driven.