July 9, 2025

Empowering Youth for a Sustainable Future: A Report on the Climate Youth Action Plan (CYAP) Idea Competition

Between September 2024 and May 2025, the Climate Youth Action Plan (CYAP) Idea Competition brought together EYP members to design and pilot sustainability projects.

The CYAP Idea Competition, launched by the European Youth Parliament in 2024, invited its members to develop scalable sustainability projects. Four winning teams piloted their ideas on topics like train travel, local community engagement, sustainability leadership, and policy innovation. After pilot testing, the projects were presented at a final event in Brussels in April 2025, laying the foundation for future sustainability efforts within the EYP network.

As a pan-European network bringing together thousands of young people across the continent, the European Youth Parliament (EYP) recognises its responsibility in addressing the environmental impact of its own activities. With frequent international travel and large-scale events at the core of its programme, the organisation is aware that its carbon footprint is considerable. In line with its strategic objective to embed sustainability more deeply across all aspects of its work, EYP has committed to fostering innovative solutions that mitigate environmental impact and promote climate-conscious leadership among youth.

In September 2024, the EYP, in partnership with the E.ON Foundation and Thinkubator, launched the network’s first Idea Competition to strengthen the role of sustainability across its activities. The initiative invited both active members and alumni to propose innovative projects addressing sustainability challenges, with a particular focus on several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, focusing on making cities more sustainable and climate resilient; SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, promoting less waste and smarter use of resources; and SDG 13: Climate Action, encouraging action to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.

In addition to generating new ideas, the competition aimed to foster their development through mentorship and piloting opportunities. Following a carefully prepared call for submissions, the competition received 14 proposals. An expert jury shortlisted eight projects, which were then presented to the broader EYP community for a public vote. Ultimately, four winning teams were selected and paired with alumni mentors to support the refinement and implementation of their ideas.

The winning teams gathered in Berlin in December 2024 for a kick-off workshop, where they further developed their projects and defined implementation plans. In spring 2025, the initiatives were piloted at national and regional EYP sessions. The competition concluded with a final dissemination event in Brussels, where the teams presented their outcomes and lessons learned to key stakeholders.

The Winning Projects in Action

  • Green Ambassadors Initiative

    This initiative appointed a sustainability officer in each National Committee to promote environmentally friendly practices and advance environmental education. It was led by Anna Hakobyan, Greta Aghinyan & Viktorya Mamyan, and they piloted the project in Subotica, Serbia. The team was guided by Sander Wagemans, whose academic expertise and practical experience as a policy officer at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate provided invaluable insights into aligning grassroots initiatives with broader policy frameworks. His passion for merging innovation with policy helped the team shape effective, locally grounded sustainability programs.

  • Sustainable Policy Incubator

    A long-term initiative by EYP to support innovative, climate-conscious measures within the organisation. It was led by Elvira Bello Hernández, and she piloted the project in Madrid, Spain. The project benefitted from the mentorship of Edisona Franca, who brought a strong background in sustainability consulting and circular economy initiatives. Drawing from her experience in developing sustainability strategies and designing project concepts, Edisona supported the project in crafting actionable  policy frameworks to embed sustainability across EYP’s operations.

  • Connecting EYP through Sustainability

    This project aimed to connect EYP participants with local communities by inviting local organisations to lead workshops and discussions, and by organising excursions to community projects (e.g. urban agriculture, recycling centres), raising awareness of sustainability in a local context. It was led by Efe Kayra Soylu, and he piloted the project in Winterthur, Switzerland. Marko Nedeljkovic served as mentor, leveraging his work with the Center for Sustainable Energy Development and the Platform for Energy Transition in Niš, Serbia. With extensive experience in startup consultancy and educational programs on sustainable energy, Marko provided valuable guidance on engaging community stakeholders and fostering impactful learning experiences.

  • YouthOnTrack

    YouthOnTrack encouraged train travel to reduce the carbon footprint of EYP events, potentially supported by rail partnerships offering discounted travel options. It was led by Julius Lajtha, Leonie Tatzberger, Marvin Huber & Tuuka Rytkonen, and they piloted the project in Łódź, Poland and Paris, France. The project was mentored by Kaisa Virolainen, whose work at The Footprint Firm focuses on system transformation and resilience for sustainability and social justice. With her background in strategic consulting and expertise in cross-sector collaboration, Kaisa supported the team in exploring innovative partnerships and scalable approaches to promote sustainable mobility within EYP.

Project Highlights

The YouthOnTrack project addressed one of EYP’s most significant sustainability challenges: the carbon emissions from event-related travel, with air travel estimated to contribute around 90% of these emissions. To promote train travel as a more sustainable alternative, the team seeks to enter a partnership with Eurail to explore the creation of a dedicated Interrail Pass for young volunteers. They piloted the concept through travel guides, surveys, live data collection, focus groups, and interactive session elements like teambuilding games and sustainability-themed topics. The project received highly positive feedback, initiated collaboration with Eurail, and laid the groundwork for further development.

In Connecting Through Sustainability, the focus was on connecting EYPers with local climate action efforts. Delegates had the opportunity to interact with MYBLUEPLANET, a local Swiss NGO. The presence of a real-world sustainability leader provided participants with first-hand insights into community-driven environmental work and inspired them to explore ways of contributing in their own local contexts. The impact of this approach was evident in survey results, which showed an increased willingness among participants to volunteer for local climate initiatives following the session.

The Green Ambassadors Initiative sought to embed sustainability leadership directly into the structure of EYP sessions by introducing a dedicated Green Ambassador role. The initiative involved leading workshops, calculating the event’s carbon footprint, coordinating vegetarian and vegan catering, arranging food donations, and supplying reusable tableware. By assigning a clear sustainability responsibility within the session, the project ensured that sustainability remained a priority throughout the event. Feedback from participants reflected a strong interest in adopting similar roles in future sessions.

A defining feature of the CYAP Idea Competition was its commitment to testing concepts before implementing them more widely. Each selected project underwent a pilot phase, during which teams piloted their ideas in real-world settings, collected feedback, and refined their strategies. This iterative process allowed for adjustments to content, engagement methods, and logistics, ensuring the final outputs were both feasible and impactful. By operating at a smaller scale initially, participants gained practical experience, while also maximising the effective use of resources – a model that supports sustainable innovation. These efforts culminated in the “Sips for Sustainability” public event on April 29th in Brussels, where the teams showcased their projects, shared key insights, and engaged in meaningful dialogue with peers, mentors, and external stakeholders. The event generated strong engagement, signaling not only enthusiasm within the EYP network but also growing recognition and support from outside partners.

What now?

Looking ahead, the international youth board of the EYP, the Governing Body (GB), envisions the formation of a dedicated Sustainability Task Force to carry forward the momentum generated by these pioneering projects. This group will bring together motivated participants and experienced volunteers to explore how similar initiatives can be further developed, scaled, and embedded into the broader framework of EYP activities. The GB sees this as an opportunity to not only build on the tangible successes of the Idea Competition but also to foster a lasting culture of sustainability leadership across the network.

Read more about the project

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