The finalists of the 2021 Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) International Competition have now been assessed by the International Jury, and the awarded entries have been selected. Over 454,000 students participated in the YRE programme this year, and they produced over 19,000 pieces of environmental journalism for national YRE competitions. The number and quality of entries reflects the continued motivation and dedication of YRE students around the world despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The entries awarded this year showcase YRE students’ great journalistic talent and a deep understanding of the complex environmental issues affecting their local communities. The International Jury has based their assessment on the students’ topic selection, their reflections on how the topic connects to the Sustainable Development Goals and their overall journalistic skills. The awarded entries represent some of the top youth environmental journalism in the world today.
This year’s YRE entries continue to demonstrate the challenges and hopeful solutions youth from around the world are addressing in their communities. The pandemic’s impact was apparent, and the urgency needed to address the climate crisis was resonant, as captured in the photo of the year. It is never an easy task to select winners from the thoughtful entries received. All of the YRE students deserve to be recognized for their passion and dedication and encouraged to continue to raise awareness and take action.
- Anne-Vela-Wagner,
Executive Director of Mars Wrigley Foundation
and YRE Jury Member.
The YRE International Competition would not be possible without the hard work of our YRE National Operators, whose inspiring efforts have enabled thousands of teachers and students to participate in this year’s competition. It is humbling to see this level of engagement, which empowers more students every year to take an active role in the future of their communities.
This year’s International YRE Jury
This year’s International Jury meeting took place virtually from the 31st of August to the 2nd of September. The jury has assessed each shortlisted entry thoroughly, and awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, as well as Honourable mentions, based on their technical quality, level of investigation, originality, and dissemination. The International Jury represents expertise across a wide spectrum of fields, and consists of professionals in environmental journalism, corporate social responsibility and Education for Sustainable Development.
"Learning about the impacts of climate change is the first step to take action. The Young Reporters for the Environment competition is an inspiring way of raising awareness about our most pressing environmental challenges and engaging young reporters in the search for solutions. Through investigative reporting, creative campaigns and multimedia storytelling, the winners of this year's YRE competition prove that nothing is stopping young people from demanding a clean and sustainable future for all."
– Ignacio de los Reyes,
digital communications strategist,
lead of Voices of Youth, UNICEF's platform for young content creators.
and YRE Jury member
List of Jury Members 2021:
Bernard Combes - UNESCO
Anne Vela-Wagner – Mars Wrigley Foundation
Christopher Slaney - Freelance Journalist
Siiri Mäkelä - UNEP, Kenya
P.J. Marcellino - Portuguese-Canadian filmmaker, and a former YRE. Head of Development, Anatomy of Restlessness Films. Founder, Baobab Film Collective
Sasha Karajovic, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Executive
Board member with responsibility for YRE, MontenegroNick Nuttall - the International Strategic Communications Director of EARTHDAY.ORG and a Director at the climate social platform We Don’t Have Time
Adriána Henĉeková - journalist student
Mark Terry - Executive director of the Youth Climate Report, a partner program of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Ignacio de los Reyes - digital communications expert managing Voices of Youth, UNICEF's digital platform
Find detailed information about each Jury Member here.
About the International YRE Competition
All entries competing in the YRE International Competition have been awarded 1st place in their respective countries’ National YRE competitions earlier this year. The entries are divided into three age groups (11-14, 15-18 and 19-25) as well as three media categories (articles, photos and videos). There is also a special category for International Collaboration. YRE students in countries participating in the Litter Less Campaign have the opportunity to submit entries concerned with litter and waste issues, which have been assessed separately. All entries have been uploaded on the YRE Competition’s Exposure page. You can also find all shortlisted videos in the UN's Youth Climate Report map. The winners of the competition will receive diplomas and will be published on different international medias, forums, environmental conferences and sessions.
The International YRE Competition winners for 2021 are:
Article, 11-14 years
1st Place
Title: Shimmering Dust
Country: Latvia
2nd Place
Title: The dark and murky messaging of the major watch brands
Country: Switzerland
3rd Place
Title: What the pandemic packed for us
Country: Slovakia
Honourable Mention
Title: Love protects Sinjajevina
Country: Montenegro
Article, 15-18 years
1st Place
Title: Avian inhabitants of the housing estates
Country: Slovakia
2nd Place (shared)
Title: Construction waste and dangerous waste – here on our backyard
Country: Israel
Title: Turning off the lights at night
Country: Switzerland
Article, 19-25 years
1st Place
Title: The north textile industry, the ideal network for inventing sustainable and responsible fashion
Country: France
2nd Place
Title: Villages at the foot of Luštek landfill inspire the whole Slovakia
Country: Slovakia
Honourable mentions
Title: “Moulay ali natural bathes” ... a natural healing water source that is not rationally used to support the community development of “awlad Stoute”
Country: Morocco
Title: Montijo: An Option For The Future Or An Announced Crime?
Country: Portugal
Single Photo Reportage, 11-25 years
1st Place
Title: The end of the world
Country: Montenegro
Honourable Mentions
Title: Hope
Country: Malta
Single Photo Campaign, 11-25 years
1st Place
Title: Our World is Slipping Down the Drain
Country: Canada
2nd Place
Title: Disposable Masks’ Double flight
Country: Portugal
Honourable Mention
Title: Sweet destruction
Country: Iceland
Photo Reportage of 3-5 Photos, 11-25 years
1st Place
Title: The waste collecting woman who is no waste.
Country: Ghana
2nd Place
Title: The Scythe for Life
Country: Slovakia
Video, 11-14 years
1st Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: Old Companions
Country: Slovakia
2nd Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: How to consume more responsibly?
Country: France
3rd Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: A valley behind Bars
Country: Israel
Honourable Mention (as Reportage Video)
Title: Create & Respect
Country: Portugal
Video, 15-18 years
1st Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: Warehouse vs. Wetland
Country: Canada
2nd Place (as Campaign Video)
Title: Toys Upcycling: A New Life for Toys
Country: Republic of Korea
3rd Place (as Campaign Video)
Title: Returnable bottle campaign
Country: Turkey
Video, 19-25 years
1st Place shared
(as Reportage Video)
Title: Green in blue jeans
Country: France
(as Campaign Video)
Title: Fast fashion dining
Country: Scotland
Honourable Mention (as Campaign Video)
Title: Where does your snack come from
Country: Slovenia
International Collaboration
1st Place (article 15-18 years)
Title: Unnoticed Danger: The Fashion Industry
Countries: Portugal and Turkey
2nd Place (article 15-18 years)
Title: How Can Traditional Watering Systems Help The Environment?
Countries: Portugal and Montenegro
3rd place (article 11-14 years)
Title: Honey bees are important members of a sustainable life
Countries: Turkey and Slovenia
Honourable mention (video 15-18 years)
Title: Different countries, same problem – Finding a solution for the pollution!
Countries: Portugal and Turkey
Litter Less Campaign Category:
Article, 11-14 years
1st Place
Title: Cat food packaging: exposed
Country: New Zealand
Article, 15-18 years
1st Place
Title: Is sustainability a joke?
Country: Malta
Article, 19-25 years
-
Single Photo Reportage, 11-25 years
1st Place
Title: Trapped
Country: New Zealand
Single Campaign Photo, 11-25 years
1st place
Title: The bottle fish
Country: Malta
Photo story (3-5 photos), 11-25 years
-
Video, 11-14 years
1st Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: YRE Rural Litter Report
Country: Ireland
Video, 15-18 years
1st Place (as Reportage Video)
Title: Open-hearted to the oceans
Country: France
Video, 19-25 years
-
Congratulations to all winners!!!
About Foundation for Environmental Education
Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is the world's largest environmental education organisation, with members in 77 countries around the world. Through its five ground-breaking programmes, FEE empowers people to take meaningful and purposeful action to help create a more sustainable world. FEE is recognised as a world leader in the fields of Education for Sustainable Development, environmental education and sustainable tourism.
