Countdown to Climate Week: Enabling Young Innovators in the Fight Against Air Pollution

Young people from Manhattan to Mongolia are leveraging technology to address issues of climate change. Those most impacted are also the most incentivized to do something about it. Over 1 billion children — half of all children globally — are at an “extremely high risk” due to the impacts of climate change. Organizations that support young people, including UNICEF, are rallying their support around young innovators addressing the opportunities and the risks climate change poses for youth.

SAP is also committed to finding solutions to climate change and working across generations to make it happen. As the world’s largest provider of enterprise application software, SAP plays a complementary role to organizations like UNICEF. With a unique ability to help the world’s largest companies achieve more across their value chains and drive sustainability at their core, there is enormous potential to use SAP technology for good. Coupled with its technological expertise, there is also a long-standing commitment to accelerate solutions by connecting corporate financial and nonfinancial resources with the expertise of young innovators.

Air pollution is a complicating factor of climate change. On International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, the world looks at this issue that is not locked within borders, making it difficult to address. It warms the global climate, exacerbating natural disasters and risking the health of millions of underserved people living in vulnerable areas.

In Mongolia, air pollution is particularly problematic as the country deals with rapid urbanization and a harsh climate. The country has a strong reliance on burning coal because it is inexpensive and readily available. Coal represents 90% of the energy used and is a huge economic export, creating jobs and wealth in a high-need country. Even though coal was banned in Mongolia’s capital city in 2019, coal use has led to enormous levels of smog and mounting health risks for thousands of citizens. In a country known as the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky,” local youth like Enkhuun Byambadorj are not willing to accept this reality.

Enkhuun was just 17 when she co-founded Breathe Mongolia, an organization leveraging data and technology as a differentiator in solving pollution. With family members affected, she had deeply personal reasons to create tangible action. She quickly understood the value of leveraging technology to scale solutions to the masses and built a centralized source of air quality data for Mongolian communities. “These are all tech-based tools that we use to reach more audiences and more people than we could otherwise,” she said. Today, with information available in English and Mongolian, Breathe Mongolia has become a go-to source for air quality data in the region.

With Climate Week on the horizon, taking place during the annual UN General Assembly, SAP will step forward to represent the value of working with young innovators like Enkhuun with GenU. GenU was founded in 2018 as part of UNICEF aiming to equip youth with the necessary skills and resources to participate in key conversations around pressing global issues.

When given the opportunity, youth bring an impressive passion for creating impact, coupled with a digital-first mindset, that allows decision-makers to channel new solutions. Breathe Mongolia is one of the millions of impact organizations operating globally and putting people and planet first. SAP wants to ensure its success and that of the more than 10 million social enterprises operating globally, many led by young people. Together with leading youth social impact partners like Generation Unlimited, ChangemakerXchange, and We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), SAP is hoping to close the opportunity gap and ensure that youth have the resources they need to innovate and fulfill their potential. This commitment for youth inclusion extends beyond Climate Week and UNGA. Throughout the year, SAP and its leadership team lead by example, involving expert young leaders in the company’s innovation strategy and sustainability programs, opening doors that provide them with a seat at the table.

Whether you are attending Climate Week or participating virtually from home, every sector and individual has a role to play to combat issues like climate change. To better understand the challenges that youth face and the potential to incorporate youth voices in challenging projects, leverage The Possibilists global study on young changemakers and WAFF’s global study on intergenerational collaboration.

If you are a young climate innovator based in North America or Sub-Saharan Africa, we also encourage you to check out resource support through Changemakers for the Planet.