ETF Green Skills Awards 2023: Ten finalists announced

The award recognises initiatives at the forefront of driving the transition towards a sustainable and green future and have demonstrated exceptional commitment and innovation in promoting and developing green skills throughout the world.

This year's ten finalists encompass a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, representing various countries. They were selected from nearly 600 applications from over 60 countries. Here is the complete list:

• Armenia: TUMO Labs - Empowering youth to protect the environment through a climate change observatory
• Georgia: Construct2 - Developing a public-private partnership for the provision of training on eco-friendly building materials
• Indonesia: Carbon Addons - Enabling youth to become climate changemakers through a carbon academy
• Kenya: E-waste management - Promoting skills development opportunities for sustainable e-waste management
• Lebanon: Zero waste project - Educating for waste reduction and student environmental empowerment
• Morocco with Spain: Bouregreg Med-O-Med Gardening School by FUNCI - Providing green vocational training for marginalised youth
• Serbia: The Green Art Incubator - Promoting sustainable practices in the culture and arts sector
• Türkiye: Birsen Tanrikulu, teacher - Fostering green skills and sustainability in education
• Ukraine: Taras Shevchenko National University - Equipping future professionals with green competences
• USA with Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe: WeCareSolar - Developing renewable energy solutions for remote communities and women's empowerment

The winners of the Green Skills Award will be selected by public vote open until 29 September (23:59 CEST) and will be announced at an award ceremony in late 2023. Read the stories of all finalists and more about the voting system.

The ETF Green Skills Award

The Green Skills Award is a global initiative that was first introduced by the ETF in 2021. It provides ideas and inspiration from all over the world about innovation happening thanks to individuals and institutions. The initiative has become a source of good practice that can inspire people everywhere to make real change happen in creating circular and carbon-neutral economies and societies.

The previous two editions of the award received 198 applications and 26,700 votes from around the world. The winning initiatives range from upskilling refugees in solar energy to promoting environmental awareness in schools.

Background

The European Training Foundation is the EU agency supporting the countries of the EU neighbourhood to reform their education, training and labour market systems. In line with the objectives of the EU Green Deal and the European Year of Skills, it actively supports progress towards sustainable, carbon-neutral, and circular economies and societies through skills development.