Five projects designed by Donegal students have qualified for next month’s UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards in Dublin.
They will join the over 100 finalists from across the island of Ireland at the finals on the 8th of May, at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre – with the finalists being confirmed today, Earth Day.
Each of the Donegal projects succeeded at the Semi-Final stage, earning their place in the spotlight at the Final.
The projects include:
- ‘Harnessing Donegal’s Coastal Wealth’, a project from St Columba’s Comprehensive School in Glenties, which qualified for the Energy Category of the awards. The group of young people are using Donegal seaweed to convert it into biodiesel through the transesterification method. Their goal is to create a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
- ‘Cli-Mates’, a project from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Buncrana, is through to the Waste Category of the awards. The group of young people identified the issue associated with batteries going to landfill and the untold damage that can be done in the future. They organised a school and community wide campaign to collect used batteries and have saved 6,000 batteries from being sent to landfill by recycling them effectively.
- Smart Water Monitor’, a project from Loreto Convent in Letterkenny, is through to the Water Category of the awards. The group of young people focussed on improving water management by tackling issues like water contamination, leaks, and wasteful consumption. They raised awareness in their school by conducting workshops, surveys, and demonstrations to educate people about water quality and conservation.
Projects from Errigal College and Loreto Community School, Milford, also qualified for the Final.
ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards is an all-island programme that recognises the work of young people who are tackling key issues in relation to climate and biodiversity loss, taking environmental action in their school or community and coming up with creative solutions to solve environmental issues. Now in its 26th year, the YEA programme has reached people in every county of Ireland, with a total of over 65,000 young people participating and 6,000 projects entered down through the years.
Commenting on this year’s YEA finalists, Elaine Nevin, National Director, ECO-UNESCO said:
“The projects that have made it through to this year’s Young Environmentalist Awards reflect the mission of Earth Day, the theme of which this year is ‘Our Power, Our Planet’ ─ a call to action highlighting the transformative power of renewable energy and its role in creating a more sustainable and equitable future. Earth Day 2025 encourages individuals, communities, and governments to take action by adopting renewable energy solutions, advocating for supportive policies, and participating in local and global initiatives. Through their projects, young people have taken the lead in raising awareness of critical environmental issues, inspiring change in their communities, and championing more sustainable lifestyles.”
“I would like to wish our finalists from Donegal the best of luck for the awards, congratulate those who took part in our regional semi-final ECO-Dens, and thank all our funders who make this all possible every year. Each and every project that enters the awards deserves to be celebrated!”
Further information about the Young Environmentalist Awards is available online here.
