The Generation Hope Goals competition - co-led by Save the Children and partners - invited teams of children and young people to submit ideas for climate solutions in line with selected Sustainable Development Goals
BANGKOK, 26 February 2025: Edible cutlery that saves marine life in Bangladesh has won the inaugural Generation Hope Goals climate innovation competition in Asia Pacific, held at a time when progress on climate action is regressing in the region, Save the Children said.
The Generation Hope Goals competition – co-led by Save the Children and partners - invited teams of children and young people aged 16 to 24 to submit ideas for climate solutions in line with selected Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative attracted more than 230 entries from across the Asia-Pacific region and were judged on four key criteria – uniqueness, feasibility, scalability, and relevance and social impact. After two stages of the competition, five finalists pitched their ideas in front of a panel of experts at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok. The event was opened by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.
With only five years left, none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track in Asia and the Pacific. The SDGs were agreed by all 193 United Nations Member States in 2015 to transform the world for the better and leave no one behind by 2030, but at the current rate of progress, the region will not meet these goals before 2062 – a 32-year delay [1].
The Generation Hope Goals competition winner, Ecolery from Bangladesh, is trying to save oceans ‘one bite at a time’ with edible, zero waste cutlery and cups. Plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year.
Nafesa Anzum Helaly from Ecolery Bangladesh said:
“Zero waste has never tasted so good. Winning the Generation Hope Goals competition means we can expand beyond cups and cutlery and make sustainability accessible to everyone.
We want large corporations like hotel chains, airlines and restaurants to replace single use plastic with our earth-friendly alternatives and slash plastic waste in Bangladesh and worldwide.
Many people think individual actions don’t make a difference when faced with massive challenges like climate change and plastic pollution, but together our everyday choices shape tomorrow's reality.”
Overall progress on climate action – SDG 13 – is actually regressing in Asia and the Pacific, home to about 60% of the world’s population. Temperatures in the region are increasing faster than the global mean, with the region accounting for half of global greenhouse gas emissions which continue to increase [1].
Save the Children's research found that four of the ten biggest climate disasters affecting children in 2024 were in the Asia-Pacific region, affecting around 276 million children or 1 in 5 children in the region. These children were displaced, saw their schools closed, went hungry, or were in need of humanitarian aid [2].
Vishna Shah-Little, Child Rights Policy and Advocacy Director at Save the Children said:
“This competition could not come at a more critical time. With overall progress on the climate action Sustainable Development Goal regressing, it’s never been more urgent to find innovative solutions to tackle decades of damage.
“The ideas from the teams of children and young people in Asia and the Pacific are imaginative while also grounded in science and present simple, achievable solutions to some of the vast range of climate-fueled problems the region faces.
“Children cannot wait 32 years to see these goals delivered. The world is failing them and their futures. World leaders must swiftly scale up investment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and prioritise policies that put the furthest behind first.”
As part of the climate action SDG, countries in the Asia-Pacific region have made significant progress in implementing disaster risk reduction strategies but extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe - and children often bear the brunt of these disasters. The World Meteorological Organisation has estimated the number of global extreme weather events has increased five-fold in the past 50 years [3].
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we work to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard.
Notes for Editors
[1] https://unescap.org/kp/2024/asia-and-pacific-sdg-progress-report-2024
[2] We adopted the same methodology as in this earlier release (https://www.savethechildren.net/news/one-8-children-significantly-impacted-10-biggest-extreme-weather-events-year) to identify which of the biggest extreme weather disasters of 2024 occurred in Asia-Pacific, bringing the data from the October release up to date to the end of 2024. In 2024, four of the ten biggest climate disasters affecting children were in the Asia-Pacific region, affecting around 276 million children. This equates to 1 in 5 children in the region, based on the UN World Population Prospects child population shares by country. Asia-Pacific was defined based on membership of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Generation Hope Goals is a collaborative initiative co-led by Save the Children in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, and ChildFund International.
The initiative engages children and young leaders in advancing innovative climate action solutions linked to the five SDGs (3, 5, 8, 14 and 17) under review at the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok. The winner, Ecolery Bangladesh, received US$5,000 to develop their innovation with the second (Care for Coral from Thailand) and third placed team (Eco Stove from Pakistan) getting US$3,000 and US$2,000 respectively from the Generation Hope Goals partners.
The Finalists
Care for Coral (Thailand)
Problem: Coral reefs are threatened by climate and human pressures.
Solution: Hands-on coral restoration efforts, preserving Thailand’s reef ecosystems for future generations.
Ecolery (Bangladesh)
Problem: Plastic waste overwhelms cities and waterways.
Solution: Edible, biodegradable cutlery to replace plastic, reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly habits.
Eco-Sentinels (Bangladesh)
Problem: Rising soil salinity and flooding threaten food security in coastal areas.
Solution: Floating agricultural beds for salt-tolerant crops, supporting resilient farming against climate challenges.
Eco Stove (Pakistan)
Problem: Traditional wood stoves harm health and the environment.
Solution: Affordable solar-powered stoves, reducing indoor pollution and deforestation, and empowering rural women.
Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association (Malaysia)
Problem: Animal agriculture impacts the environment and public health.
Solution: Plant-based meal delivery, promoting sustainable food consumption and green jobs.
For interview requests with the finalists or Save the Children and further information please contact:
Rachel Thompson, Asia Pacific Media Manager
rachel.thompson@savethechildren.org
