TRIPOLI — EcoVision: Libya Youth Climate Challenge 2026 concluded in Tripoli, completing a nationwide journey that started in Benghazi and continued through Sebha.
The competition was hosted at the Ministry of Environment with opening remarks by H.E. Ibrahim Al Arabi, Minister of Environment, and Ulrika Richardson, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Libya. Both underlined that supporting youth-led innovation is essential to tackling Libya’s climate and environmental challenges, to diversifying Libya’s economy and to building solutions that can be delivered on the ground.
DSRSG/RC Richardson commended young people for not waiting for change from the sidelines but leading it. She added, “leadership by young women and men matters for building climate resilience, creating jobs, and shaping a stronger future for Libya.”
As in Benghazi and Sebha, the Tripoli event drew strong participation, including representatives from the government institutions, diplomatic community, private sector, and the United Nations in Libya, highlighting broad support for youth-led climate action in Libya.
Following a day of intensive training, eight shortlisted teams presented their proposals developed through the EcoVision programme. The training focused on building climate-smart ventures, strengthening financial planning, measuring impact, and presentation skills to allow teams to effectively move from promising concepts to workable projects.
At the close of the competition, three youth-led initiatives received seed funding and ongoing mentorship to support implementation and growth. The winning projects included an AI-guided agricultural robot designed to automate planting and reduce waste, a digital platform connecting surplus food from businesses to consumers to cut food waste and strengthen food security, and a water-efficient tilapia hatchery to help rebuild a key part of Libya’s aquaculture value chain.
One winning team said, “EcoVision gave us a special opportunity to network and connect directly with decision-makers, diplomats, and private sector leaders. These conversations helped us navigate how our ideas can move beyond concepts and into real partnerships.”
Another participant noted, “Events like EcoVision are essential for young people. They build confidence, open doors, and show that youth innovation is taken seriously. We hope to see more initiatives like this held regularly across Libya.”
Teams not awarded seed funding have been provided a toolkit to link with relevant partners from national institutions and the United Nations Country Team to explore mentorship, technical support, and future funding opportunities.
EcoVision 2026 ended with a hopeful message: Libya’s young women and men are ready to lead. And with the right support, their solutions can scale and deliver lasting impact for communities across the country.
