Winners of the 2023 UK Youth Innovation Prize

Tied for first place

Morag Hewett

Age 19

Morag is a young person who is passionate about social and ecological justice, and has a strong interest in science. She is determined to make a positive difference in the world, to find solutions and enable all life to thrive.

A Global Green-space Network: Connecting Urban Green Space Projects to Benefit Health, Air Quality and Climate ‍

Climate and ecological crises are not merely environmental with side-effects on people. Our lives are interwoven with these crises, with no clear division into ‘social’ and ‘ecological’. This essay proposes a network for green space projects, with three interconnected outcomes: improving human health, air quality and climate solutions. 

Joseph Burton

Age 25, Gillingham Kent

Joe Burton is the Sustainability Transformation Project Lead at University College London Hospitals. His job involves working with a wider team and stakeholders across the organisation and beyond to support the move towards net zero. He has a background in managing hospital services and leading transformation projects and uses these dual experiences to drive change. He is an avid reader of all things wildlife and sustainability and is at his happiest when halfway up a wet, windy mountain or running around a wet, windy athletics track.

PPE, A reusable reimagination: A system-wide approach for the NHS England

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a component of all surgeries and procedures. Most organisations continue to make use of single use PPE despite the wide availability of reusable alternatives. These items are lower carbon, produce less waste and often unlock cost savings. This essay explores how taking a system wide approach to the delivery of reusable PPE could encourage a wider adoption.

Third place

Keir Chauhan

Age 21, London

Keir Chauhan is a 3rd Year undergraduate History BA student at UCL. He is passionate about improving access to green spaces. He has a particular interest in birdwatching having taken up the hobby because of Covid-19. The impact of being outdoors on his health makes him passionate about sharing his love of birds and nature more broadly with as many people as possible. He hopes to promote the benefits of diversity for environmental NGOs through collaborations and co-productions focused on inclusion.

How will innovation in the way we celebrate difference lead to better human and therefore planetary health?

This essay looks at how inclusion can become the focal point of environmental engagement initiatives rather than being seen as an afterthought. The essay explores the shared commonalities that link human diversity to biodiversity conservation.

Honourable mention

Dhruv Gupta

Age 25, London

Dhruv is a doctor based in London with a keen interest in climate change and health. He is particularly passionate about equitable policy development and educating both healthcare professionals and the public on climate action and health.

Parinama - Transform education, transform health, transform the planet

Climate change is considered the greatest global health threat of the 21st century, coinciding with the growing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases, and children and young people will disproportionately suffer. Effective coordinated education can inspire behaviour change, good health, and climate action. In a digitally enriched era, gamified education can meet current learning demands. This essay proposes a novel climate change and health educational app: Parinama, for children and young people in the UK and beyond.

Copyright © 2023 Youth Innovation Essay Prize