The International Student Competition 2025 marks 15 years of inspiring global youth engagement with environmental topics. Since its inception in 2010, over 14,000 entries from 120 countries have been received. This year, the competition invites students to creatively express how eco-anxiety (emotional distress caused by the climate crisis) can be transformed into eco-action and empowerment. Eco-anxiety affects more than 50% of young people worldwide. The competition offers students an opportunity to explore solutions and express their thoughts through various creative formats such as essays, videos, artwork, music, and poetry.
A recent United Nations report identifies eco-anxiety as a “hidden crisis” with significant effects on youth. As young people express feelings of fear, sadness, and anger about environmental degradation, this competition aims to demonstrate that these emotions can serve as motivators for climate action. The theme emphasizes that such emotional responses are natural and can empower individuals and groups to take positive environmental action.