The Future Is
Being Written
Here.
India is home to the world's largest youth population. For the first time, The Earthshot Challenge invites young people aged 9–17 to help solve our planet's greatest environmental challenges.
The World Needs Bold Ideas.
What's Your Earthshot?
Choose one — or connect your project to more than one. Every Earthshot matters.
Protect & Restore Nature
Create spaces where local plants, wildlife, and biodiversity can thrive. Develop innovative ways to conserve water and protect natural resources. Inspire community action to keep shared spaces clean and safeguard ecosystems.
Inspiration from India: Kheyti helps farmers grow more food while using less water. What could you do locally?
Explore The Challenge →
Clean Our Air
Create greener, healthier spaces for people and nature. Find ways to reduce pollution and improve air quality. Encourage sustainable travel, including walking, cycling, and shared transportation.
Global Inspiration: Mukuru Clean Stoves from Kenya reduces harmful household air pollution. How might you tackle air quality in your community?
Explore The Challenge →
Revive Rivers, Lakes & Oceans
Protect rivers, oceans, and water bodies from pollution. Reduce waste by encouraging reuse, recycling, and responsible consumption. Inspire community action to keep ecosystems clean and healthy.
Global Inspiration: Indigenous Women Rangers in Australia combine traditional knowledge and technology to protect ecosystems.
Explore The Challenge →
Build a Waste-Free World
Extend the life of products and materials through repair, sharing, and reuse. Reduce waste by choosing reusable alternatives and improving waste sorting. Recover valuable resources and return nutrients back to the environment.
Global Inspiration: Notpla from the UK creates seaweed-based alternatives to plastic packaging.
Explore The Challenge →
Fix Our Climate
Promote clean and renewable energy solutions in your community. Reduce energy use and support low-carbon ways of living and travelling. Help people and natural spaces adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
Global Inspiration: Friendship from Bangladesh helps communities respond to climate-related challenges.
Explore The Challenge →Earthshot Toolkit
Structured lesson plans and guidance in 6 languages. Everything your team needs to start the journey.
Download ToolkitFIDS Journey Map
Feel, Imagine, Do, Share — the four-step Design for Change framework that guides every Earthshot project.
Explore How It Works →Four Steps. One Powerful Journey.
Young People Are Already
Changing the World
Across India and around the globe, young changemakers are taking action — restoring ecosystems, reducing waste, conserving water, and mobilising communities.
Ready to begin
your Earthshot journey?
Every Earthshot begins with a simple belief: I CAN.
Need help? Call our helpline: +91 70429 52939
Young Minds. Bold Ideas.
A Better Planet.
India has the world's largest youth population. One in every five young people on Earth is Indian. The I CAN Earthshot Challenge believes that extraordinary ideas live in every classroom and every community across this country.
"We can protect our beautiful planet for all life that calls it home. The choices we make during this decade will define us, but more importantly they will define the lives of young people."
Big Ideas Deserve
Big Opportunities
- $2,000 Earthshot Grant
- Expert mentorship
- Support to refine and scale your solution
- Invitation to The Earthshot Prize Awards & Summit in Mumbai
- National recognition as a Young Earthshot Changemaker
This is more than a challenge. It's a launchpad.
Open to Young People
Across India
Together with Design for Change and The Alana Foundation, this challenge is open to schools and online participants across India.
Schools and online participants from all states and union territories are welcome.
Young people in this age group are invited to lead their Earthshot journey with the support of an adult educator.
Each project team should have at least 3 young people and an adult educator supporting the group.
Schools may submit more than one project. Every idea deserves its own Earthshot journey.
Projects should connect to one or more of the five Earthshot categories. Projects addressing more than one will be viewed as stronger.
Practical and impactful ideas are encouraged. The challenge is about creativity and action, not technology.
Which Challenge
Will You Take On?
Choose one or more. Projects connected to multiple Earthshots are considered stronger by the jury.
Protect & Restore Nature
- Create spaces where local plants, wildlife, and biodiversity can thrive.
- Develop innovative ways to conserve water and protect natural resources.
- Inspire community action to keep shared spaces clean and safeguard ecosystems.
Clean Our Air
- Create greener, healthier spaces for people and nature.
- Find ways to reduce pollution and improve air quality.
- Encourage sustainable travel, including walking, cycling, and shared transportation.
Revive Rivers, Lakes & Oceans
- Protect rivers, oceans, and water bodies from pollution.
- Reduce waste by encouraging reuse, recycling, and responsible consumption.
- Inspire community action to keep ecosystems clean and healthy.
Build a Waste-Free World
- Extend the life of products and materials through repair, sharing, and reuse.
- Reduce waste by choosing reusable alternatives and improving waste sorting.
- Recover valuable resources and return nutrients back to the environment.
Fix Our Climate
- Promote clean and renewable energy solutions in your community.
- Reduce energy use and support low-carbon ways of living and travelling.
- Help people and natural spaces adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
Projects that connect to more than one Earthshot are encouraged. Start with what matters most in your community.
Feel. Imagine. Do. Share.
Four steps. One powerful journey from observation to action. Every young Earthshot changemaker starts here — with the Design for Change framework.
FEEL
Think from Your Heart
Discover a challenge that genuinely matters to you and your community. Observe, listen, and map what you see, feel, and hear around you.
- Look at your surroundings closely — observe what is working and what isn't
- Map what you SEE, FEEL, and HEAR in your community
- Select one challenge your team wants to change
- Connect it to an Earthshot category
- Talk to people affected — design WITH them, not FOR them
- Dig deeper: ask "why" at least five times to understand the root cause
IMAGINE
Visualise Success
Generate ideas and explore possible solutions. Brainstorm boldly — all ideas are good ideas. Vote for the best, then combine them.
- Use brainstorming tools freely — all ideas are welcome
- Build on others' ideas — use "and" not "but"
- Use the QBL tool: Quick, Bold, Long-lasting solutions
- Think like Earthshot finalists — could your idea scale?
- Vote for your favourite ideas and combine the best ones
- Explore and test multiple ideas before choosing one path
DO
Make Change Happen
Take action and test your solution. Plan, implement, and reflect. Go out and put your plan into action. Yes, you can!
- Plan your project: resources, budget, roles, and timeline
- Assign roles within your team
- Identify the resources you need and find support
- Implement your solution and engage your community
- Reflect: what did you learn about the challenge, your team, and yourself?
- Think about how to sustain the impact beyond the project
- Document every step through photographs and video
SHARE
I CAN! Now, You Can Too.
Tell your story and inspire others to create change. Submit your project and spread the magic of your Earthshot.
- Document your project process with up to 16 photographs (4 per FIDS step)
- Or create a project video of up to 3 minutes, uploaded to YouTube
- Submit at the DFC submission platform before October 2, 2026
- Share at school assemblies, community events, and on social media
- Use the hashtag #ICANEarthshotChallenge
- Inspire others — if you can, they can!
Your Earthshot Journey
From the challenge launch to the national celebration — here's your road map for 2026.
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1 July 2026Challenge Launch
The I CAN Earthshot Challenge launches across India. Toolkits become available in all 6 languages. Teams can begin their FIDS journey.
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Register by this date15 August 2026Registration Deadline
Schools are requested to register for the challenge and continue working on their projects through the full FIDS journey.
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July – September 2026Feel · Imagine · Do · Share
Students identify environmental challenges, develop creative solutions, take action, and document their journey.
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Submit by this date2 October 2026Submission Deadline
All projects must be completed and uploaded to the DFC submission platform by 12:00 AM IST. Do not wait until the last day — submit early.
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October 2026National Jury Process
Projects are reviewed by an expert panel. 5 projects are nominated under each Earthshot category, and 3 per category are shortlisted and invited to the Earthshot Awards & Summit in Mumbai.
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November 2026Earthshot Awards & Summit
Winners are announced and celebrated. Selected teams receive grants, recognition, and an invitation to The Earthshot Prize Awards & Summit in Mumbai.
Submission Format Guide
Photo Story
- Maximum 16 photographs
- Up to 4 photographs for each FIDS step
- Document the entire project process from FEEL to SHARE
- Upload directly to the DFC submission platform
Video Story
- Document the full project journey
- Maximum 3 minutes
- Upload the video to YouTube
- Paste the YouTube share link on the submission platform
Jury process: All submissions are reviewed by an expert panel. 5 projects are nominated under each Earthshot category (25 in total); 3 per category (15 in total) are shortlisted and invited to the Earthshot Awards & Summit in Mumbai.
What Judges
Look For
Judges look for child-led projects where young people identify environmental challenges that genuinely matter to them and take meaningful action to create solutions.
Core Evaluation Criteria
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Community engagement
- Creativity and innovation
- Strong understanding of the environmental challenge
- Bold and practical solutions
- Potential for replication
- Long-term impact
Higher Scores Awarded For
- Exploring and testing multiple ideas
- Designing solutions together with communities — not just for them
- Going beyond conventional approaches
- Creating measurable impact
Awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts can be valuable — however, the jury prefers projects that create practical and lasting environmental change. Focus on action that creates real, measurable impact in your community.
Young People Are Already
Changing the World
Across India and around the globe, young changemakers are restoring ecosystems, reducing waste, conserving water, and mobilising communities.
Haryana · Protect & Restore Nature
Speak to Heal
A featured young changemaker story from the I CAN movement.
[ Video link to be supplied by client ]
West Bengal · Fix Our Climate
Classroom Glowup: Harnessing Sunlight for Brighter Learning
A featured young changemaker story from the I CAN movement.
[ Video link to be supplied by client ]
Maharashtra · Clean Our Air
The Nation Anchors — We Are Little Reporters
A featured young changemaker story from the I CAN movement.
[ Video link to be supplied by client ]
Varanasi · Build a Waste-Free World
Backing Them Up: A Little Cushion of Comfort
A featured young changemaker story from the I CAN movement.
[ Video link to be supplied by client ]
The Earthshot Challenge is searching for the next generation of environmental innovators. Could that be you?
Frequently Asked
Questions
Still have questions? Call our helpline: +91 70429 52939
You've Taken Action.
Now Share Your Story.
As you complete your FEEL–IMAGINE–DO–SHARE journey, document every step. Your story demonstrates how your solution evolved from an idea into action.
What to Document
- The challenge you identified
- The ideas you explored
- The actions you took
- What your team learned along the way
- The impact your project created
What to Submit
- Project information and team details
- Details of your solution and actions taken
- Evidence of impact
- A photo story or project video
Submission Formats
- Maximum 16 photographs
- Up to 4 photographs for each FIDS step
- Document the entire project process
- Document the full project journey
- Maximum 3 minutes
- Upload to YouTube, paste the share link on the submission platform
All submissions must be completed and uploaded to the DFC submission platform before the deadline. Projects submitted after 12:00 AM IST on 2 October 2026 will not be considered.
Important Submission Guidelines
- Please do not wait until the last day to submit your project.
- Technical difficulties, internet connectivity issues, or incomplete uploads may prevent your submission from being received on time.
- Projects submitted after 12:00 AM IST on 2 October 2026 will not be considered for the 2026 Earthshot Challenge.
- Late submissions will become part of the Design for Change Bank of Solutions and may be considered for future opportunities, including the 2027 cycle.
- We strongly encourage all participants to complete their submission well before the deadline.
Submit at challenge.dfcworld.com · [ confirm exact submission link with client ]