Climate Action Grants

Seeding for Transgenerations
Lead Applicant:  Mingxin Li
Project team: Qingrui Minyag Jiang

This project empowers Tibetan herders in Zoige to lead climate-resilient grassland restoration through indigenous ecological practices. The project addresses grass shortage and land degradation, aiming to restore native grasses and repair spiritual-ecological relationships between land, herders, and sacred beings. Activities include: collecting local grass (Elymus sibiricus L.) seeds and yak/sheep dung; community-led seeding of a 100m × 100m site; yak trampling to strengthen soil; and transgenerational dialogues on ecological knowledge.

Monitoring will track grass regrowth and community knowledge retention. The project fosters a participatory, community-led model of landcare, enhancing land regenerative capacity and biodiversity while strengthening Tibetan knowledge in climate action. Its participatory approach promotes a just transition and offers a replicable framework for indigenous-led conservation across the Tibetan Plateau and beyond.

SHEImpact
Lead applicant: Manon Luquand
Project team: Zuhair Imran

Through Elles Cassent Tout (“They Break Everything”), SHEImpat aims to empower women from underrepresented and economically vulnerable communities living in designated priority urban areas within Essonne, France. This program is designed for women who are currently leading or developing entrepreneurial projects. It focuses on strengthening public speaking skills, boosting confidence, and introducing the principles of sustainable entrepreneurship.

Beginning with three days of intensive workshops led by certified coaches, participants will engage in training on self-confidence, public speaking, and pitching, the programme includes a dedicated workshop on sustainable business practices, one-on-one virtual coaching, and culminates in a public pitch night judged by a panel. The project not only equips participants with practical tools to develop their sustainable businesses but also increases their visibility and networks through mentoring and partnerships, including with CPME Essonne, CCI, Asli and France Travail Essonne (Club Entrepreneuses). Ultimately, it seeks to promote inclusion, gender equity, and sustainable economic empowerment at the local level.

Pad the Girl Child
Lead applicant: Khadijah Ibrahim
Project team: Lukman Ismaila Enegi

The aim is to reduce waste from disposable products, while educating on menstrual hygiene and climate-friendly practices. We chose this direction because it merges our commitment to climate action with addressing gender inequity—a critical yet often overlooked intersection.

Activities:

• Distribution of Reusable Sanitary Pads: We will produce and distribute eco-friendly pads to 500 girls in underserved communities, cutting 1 metric ton of plastic waste.
• Sustainable Wellness Workshops: We will conduct workshops for 1,000 community
• members, covering menstrual hygiene, waste reduction, and climate-friendly practices.
• Train 30+ local women in green pad production for economic empowerment

Expected Impact:

• 500 girls receive climate-smart reusable pads.
• Integration of menstrual hygiene education into a school health curriculum.
• Training on green pad production.
• 1 metric ton of plastic waste avoided (by replacing disposables).
• Strengthened community resilience through sustainable practices.

SICCA Residency: Building Futures with Indigenous Knowledge
Lead applicant: Nikita Teresa Sarkar
Project team:  Hesha Shah, Divnoor Kaur

The SICCA Project (Sustainable Indigenous Centre for Collaborative Arts) is an eco-conscious art and architecture residency that bridges indigenous knowledge systems and contemporary design education. It is based in Shantiniketan (West Bengal, India), which was recently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site as it is a unique blend of traditional Indian and Western educational philosophies, founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

The project seeks to recover ancestral knowledge as a guiding principle in formal education. In collaboration with 20 artisans of the Santhal community in Kumardanga Village (Shantiniketan), SICCA teaches architecture students eco-friendly construction techniques like Lippan, pottery, bamboo crafts, and Alpona through intensive 2–4 week residencies. Students live with the community, observing their daily life and co-design architectural installations modeling low-carbon, nature-based solutions. The project fosters a 'Just Transition' by positioning Santhal Community members as educators, furthering economic opportunity and cultural preservation. By integrating these methods into academic curricula and public exhibitions, SICCA catalyzes climate resilience, gender equity, and community cohesion - reviving traditions not as artifacts, but as blueprints for a sustainable future.

Heat Resilience Among Female Gig and Platform Workers
Lead applicant: Apekshita Varshneya
Project team: Shivani Das

Our project will uncover gender-specific vulnerabilities to extreme heat. It will identify challenges such as limited access to rest, hydration, and safety faced by female gig and platform workers, and co-create tailored, gender-responsive interventions. We will conduct worker surveys, lead heat-health workshops, and engage with policymakers to push for change. The project aims to improve working conditions, increase awareness, and strengthen health outcomes for women disproportionately affected by rising heat and insecure work.

Developing Koro Bean-Based Business: A local Solution for Food Security & Climate Action
Lead applicant: Dewi Yunita
Project team: Eti Indarti, Muhammad Ikhsan Sulaiman

This project aims to revolutionize local food production by replacing imported soybeans with cultivated jack beans, boosting farmer incomes, creating new jobs for women, and strengthening local markets. It champions climate action by cutting carbon emissions, improving soil health through regenerative farming, and building a resilient, low-carbon food system. The initiative involves targeted activities to establish a sustainable jack bean ecosystem.

Twenty smallholder farmers will receive training in sustainable cultivation from Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) and Rumoh Pangan Aceh (RPA). RPA workers and small tempeh industries will get specialized processing training for efficiency and quality. USK students will conduct market research on consumer preferences, product design, packaging, and marketing. Dinas Pangan Aceh will promote strategies and policies for jack bean integration into the local food system, while local businesses join an expo to expand market access. This project anticipates significant economic, and social benefits, enhancing food security, and climate resilience.

Transforming Coastal Climate-Resilient Livelihoods through SEA-GO
Lead Applicant: Maghfira Abida
Project team: Iwan Pramesti  Anwar, Retno Argian Pangesti Putri

This project supports one of Indonesia’s most vulnerable coastal communities - Timbulsloko in Demak - in adapting to tidal flooding and rising sea levels. We will work closely with local residents, especially women and marginalized groups, to co-create climate risk data, strengthen climate literacy, and develop sustainable, nature-based livelihoods. By introducing climate-smart aquaculture and digital-based ecotourism, the project helps diversify income and reduce reliance on high-risk activities.

Hands-on training will build local capacity in managing these new initiatives, while partnerships with local government and private sectors will support incentive-based schemes to maintain existing coastal protections like mangrove buffers and hybrid structures. More than just protecting the coastline, this project aims to improve socio-economic wellbeing and empower communities to take the lead in their own climate adaptation journey. The lessons learned here will serve as a model for other high-risk coastal areas facing similar challenges.

From Peel to Power
Lead applicant: Dyah Kurniawati Agustika
Project team:  Wipsar Sunu Brams Dwandaru, Wira Widyawidura

From Peel to Power is a climate-focused community initiative that transforms durian and jackfruit peels into renewable biomass energy. Targeting housewives and the hearing-impaired community, the project prioritises social inclusion by empowering these marginalised groups through hands-on training in waste processing and eco-briquette production.

Objectives include reducing methane-emitting organic waste, promoting clean and affordable energy, and building climate resilience through green livelihood opportunities tailored to vulnerable populations.

Key activities involve collecting fruit waste from local markets, drying and compressing it into biomass briquettes, and distributing the fuel for household and small business use. Inclusive training modules are designed to be accessible for individuals with hearing impairments, ensuring equal participation and skill development.

Expected impact includes a significant reduction in landfill waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and the creation of sustainable income sources. The initiative directly supports SDGs on climate action, clean energy, responsible consumption, and reduced inequalities.

Shabab al-Khair – Empowering Women and Youth in Iraq al-Amir
Lead applicant: Mervat ALMHARAT
Project team: Yousra Al Husami, Rashed Almhirat

This six-month project aims to empower women and youth in Iraq al-Amir through sustainable livelihoods based on agricultural waste recycling and food preservation. The main objectives are to reduce food and agricultural waste, enhance climate resilience, and improve income-generating opportunities for marginalized groups.

Key activities include hands-on training in food preservation (drying, fermenting, canning), recycling agricultural byproducts into compost and animal feed, and developing a range of locally branded products such as dried fruits and pomegranate molasses. A community-based workshop will be established to serve as a hub for processing, packaging, and capacity-building.

The expected impact includes improved food security, reduced environmental degradation, and increased economic participation for at least 50 women and youth. By linking traditional agricultural knowledge with climate-smart practices, the project fosters sustainability, community pride, and long-term resilience.

PANAS: Community-Led Climate Storytelling & Advocacy
Lead applicant: Su Lin Tan
Project team: Natasha Joibi, Kevin Bathman

This project aims to strengthen climate storytelling in Malaysia by equipping journalists, writers, and content creators with the skills to produce impactful, evidence-based narratives. It includes a climate storytelling workshop, community-led climate reporting, and a mentorship programme to support emerging climate storytellers. Cross-cultural climate dialogues will engage diverse communities in conversations on climate justice, while a multimedia campaign will broaden the reach of key stories through videos, infographics, and social media. Together, these activities will amplify Malaysian climate stories that reflect lived experiences and grassroots solutions.

The project bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and public understanding, helping audiences see climate change as a real and immediate concern. By fostering collaboration between journalists, scientists, and communities, this initiative will cultivate a network of informed climate communicators and raise the standard for inclusive, solutions-driven climate reporting in Malaysia, especially by spotlighting underrepresented voices that are too often excluded from mainstream discourse.

Innovating Indigenous Conservation: Digital Storytelling for Climate Resilience and a Just Transition
Lead applicant: Marieanne Christie Leong
Project team: Muhammad Firdaus bin Abdul Karim, Kumara Thevan A/L Krishnan

This project empowers the indigenous community of Upper Penampang, Sabah to lead digital climate storytelling and connect their conservation work to the global climate economy. For generations, they have protected forests, rivers, and ecosystems through traditional systems like tagal and collective action. With limited external support, these efforts often remain unrecognised beyond their region.

Through workshops on climate literacy, ecosystem resilience, mapping, and storytelling, participants will document their work and showcase it on the Restor.eco platform. By mapping their area and sharing digital stories of their conservation efforts, they can access new streams of support from global donors and funders. The project also fosters two-way knowledge exchange between indigenous practices and climate science, helping communities understand the wider impact of their efforts. By equipping them with both visibility and voice, the initiative aims to unlock sustainable funding for community-led conservation and inspire similar action across other indigenous and rural areas.

Recycle Together:  A Cluster Community Material Recovery Initiative
Lead applicant: Wunmi Ogunde
Project team: Kemi Olufowobi, Moyemi Suleiman

Recycle Together Campaign (RCT) is an income-generating initiative that promotes cluster community recycling activities to change consumption habits and promote sustainable recycling practices. This project aims to foster collaboration between schools and businesses by creating a unified network for material recovery by diverting at least 20 tonnes of recyclable waste from landfills.

We will be onboarding 30 schools and 20 RCBC business members, expanding the campaign reach and organise tailored workshops will educate participants. We will then organise a recycling challenge that will encourage mass participation and creation of green clubs and corners. 

Expected impact: RTC will foster long-term recycling habits, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. It will also create economic opportunities through waste valorisation, ensuring financial inclusion.

Project Green Fleet
Lead applicant: Olorunfemi Oluwagbemi
Project team: Oluwatosin  Obademi, Abdulazeez Ajibola

Project Green Fleet is an upskilling initiative designed to train economically marginalised auto-technicians in Nigeria on the conversion, maintenance, and repair of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. Implemented in collaboration with the Presidential CNG Initiative, Ministry of Labour and Employment and an approved CNG Conversion Centre in Abuja, the project aims to build workforce capacity that aligns with Nigeria’s national clean energy transition goals.

With the recent removal of petrol subsidies and the growing adoption of CNG vehicles, demand for skilled technicians has surged. Project Green Fleet responds to this gap by delivering hands-on technical training, facilitating job placements at CNG centers, and promoting decent green jobs. The project is expected to train at least 50 technicians, improve livelihoods, support the safe expansion of Nigeria’s CNG ecosystem, and contribute to reducing transport sector emissions.

ecoWise
Lead applicant: Yetunde Deborah Fadeyi
Project team: Ewefola Akintunde

ecoWise Solar is launching an innovative platform (patented hardware and software) that streamlines the monetisation of environmental commodities such as Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from solar mini-grids through a digital MRV (monitoring, reporting, and verification) platform to provide sustainable financing for solar energy projects. The pilot phase of the project will focus on a 50kW solar mini-grid in Abuja, to further validate the technical feasibility of its solution.

We aim to bridge the gap of reliable and verifiable data on energy generation from renewable sources, to strengthen the credibility of the local carbon markets and to lower verification cost and simplify the process of validating carbon reductions while ensuring compliance with international standards.

Expected Impact

• Unlocking finance through monetising the generated carbon credits/RECs generated from solar energy.
• Engaging  over 100 stakeholders during the project to get their buy-in for project scalability.
• Increasing the affordability of local solar projects by 30%.

Green Skills for Inclusive Futures
Lead applicant: Zunaira Saqib
Project team: Ayesha Raza

Green Skills for Inclusive Futures is a pioneering initiative equipping 20 deaf graduates from Rawalpindi and Islamabad with the knowledge and tools to thrive in Pakistan’s emerging green economy - bridging the gap between climate action and disability inclusion.

Through a two-week training program at NUST, participants will explore sustainability, renewable energy, and eco-friendly business practices via expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops, and industry engagement. Accessibility is ensured with sign language interpretation and inclusive learning materials.  This initiative not only empowers deaf youth with market-relevant green skills but also raises awareness among employers, showcasing the importance of inclusive workforce development in climate action. It sets a replicable model for just, diverse, and accessible transitions to a low-carbon economy.

Catalyzing Energy Efficiency: A scalable model for sustainable urban living
Lead applicant: Abdul Shakoor
Project team: Imran Khan

This project seeks to promote energy conservation and sustainable energy practices in a government housing society in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, by implementing behavioural interventions known as “Green Nudges”. Leveraging principles of behavioural science, the initiative aims to considerably reduce electricity consumption by positively influencing resident behaviour without restrictive mandates. The main objectives include reducing electricity consumption, enhancing energy management skills among residents and building managers, fostering community cohesion for collective climate action, encouraging gender-inclusive participation, and developing a scalable model for replication.

Key activities will comprise baseline energy audits and socio-cultural assessments, co-creation workshops to design tailored nudges (e.g., gamified challenges, community energy pacts), deployment of nudges, comprehensive training programs, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. Expected impacts include measurable reduction in energy consumption, increased community awareness and engagement, empowerment of women and marginalised groups, and the development of evidence-based policy recommendations for integrating behavioural science into regional climate strategies.

Community Mobilization for Adoption of an Energy Efficient Environment Friendly Wood Stoves
Lead applicant: Prof. Dr. Khuram Pervez Amber
Project team: Dr. Saira Farooq Shah, Dr. Mohsin Zafar

The project aims to promote the adoption of an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly wood stove in the hilly areas of Pakistan to reduce deforestation, carbon emissions, and indoor air pollution caused by traditional cooking stoves. Key activities include community engagement through targeted awareness campaigns and interactive workshops—especially for women—to highlight the health, economic, and environmental benefits of the stoves. Hands-on training sessions and live demonstrations will be organized to showcase stove usage, fuel efficiency, and long-term advantages.

The project will also focus on building strong partnerships with local NGOs, community leaders, and environmental advocates to enhance outreach, acceptance, and impact. Additionally, continuous monitoring and structured feedback collection will help in understanding user experiences, identify challenges, and improve community adoption strategies. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in firewood consumption, improved indoor air quality, and lower health risks for women and children. The project will empower communities, foster behavioral change, and contribute to climate action and sustainable, gender-inclusive development.

EcoYouth Labs: Empowering Youth for Climate and Gender Justice
Lead applicant: Levent Berke Capli
Project team: Elif Avcı, Elif Sena Celikcan

EcoYouth Labs empowers 150 young women aged 18–25 by equipping them with skills in climate justice, ecofeminism, and sustainable policy-making. Through interactive workshops, a Model UN simulation on climate policy, and an AI-supported gamified crisis simulation, participants will strengthen their strategic decision-making and advocacy abilities.

The project also includes a campaign competition designed to foster innovative climate solutions with real implementation potential. To expand outreach and deepen community engagement, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will be developed as part of the project. By integrating digital tools, civic participation, and feminist perspectives, it promotes inclusive and gender-sensitive engagement in climate policy. The project will be implemented with KızBaşına, one of Turkey's leading NGOs dedicated to advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls through education, advocacy, and innovation. EcoYouth Labs supports the next generation of young women in shaping a just, sustainable future through critical green skills.

Greening Communities: Mangrove Planting Project
Lead applicant: Alaa Al Amiry
Project team: Maya Haddad

Greening Communities: Mangrove Planting Project is an award-winning environmental initiative led by Ajman University in collaboration with Al Zorah Development Private Company and Quest for Adventure. The project aims to support the UAE’s climate goals by restoring coastal ecosystems, empowering marginalized communities, and fostering sustainability education.

Key activities include large-scale mangrove planting, training programs for underprivileged groups on green skills, and community engagement workshops that promote environmental awareness and stewardship. The initiative also supports the creation of a Sustainability Research Center to institutionalize learning and drive innovation in climate action. By aligning with the UAE’s pledge to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030, the project enhances biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience. Its inclusive, multi-stakeholder model promotes community cohesion, green employability, and scalable solutions for a just transition to a low-carbon economy—positioning the project as a replicable model for sustainable development across the region.

Empowering SMEs for Carbon Market Readiness
Lead applicant: Duy Anh Le
Project team: Anh Dzung Vu

This project aims to equip small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with the essential knowledge and digital tools needed to actively participate in Vietnam’s emerging carbon market. By integrating AI-powered personalized learning modules and NFC card technology, the initiative delivers accessible, secure, and on-demand training tailored to SMEs’ needs.

Key activities include global desk research, development of a practical guideline, piloting interactive training workshops, and dissemination of digital and physical learning tools. The project engages 10–30 SMEs and 50–150 participants in Hanoi and collaborates with partners including DSIK and VinUniversity. The expected impact includes enhanced SME readiness for carbon trading under Decision 232/QD-TTg, strengthened climate literacy, and greater inclusion of marginalized groups in Vietnam’s low-carbon transition. The open-access materials will serve a wider audience, including policymakers and industry associations, fostering scalable climate action and promoting sustainable economic development.