Designing a Greener Tomorrow: BE OPEN Honors Young Innovators at UNEA-7 in Nairobi

A Nairobi celebration for practical design solutions

At the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, BE OPEN put a spotlight on young designers and small teams with a short, lively ceremony. The organisation handed out awards for its Designing Futures 2050 programme, a global competition that looks for designs meant to make everyday life more sustainable. Winners stood on stage with local officials and delegates, described their projects, and celebrated the chance to take their ideas further.

The mood was upbeat and forward-looking. Organisers framed the event as more than a prize ceremony: it was a way to connect creative projects with the people and funding they need to move from drawings to real-world tests. The winners’ work ranged from low-tech community tools to new, nature-based materials. That variety matched one of the main themes at UNEA-7: how to reduce waste and protect resources while giving people better, cheaper services.

Who BE OPEN is and what Designing Futures 2050 aims to do

BE OPEN is an initiative that uses design to tackle environmental problems. It runs competitions, workshops and short residencies that help small teams turn bold ideas into practical products or services. The Designing Futures 2050 programme is one of its public-facing efforts: a multi-stage call for entries that invites designers, researchers and community groups to submit concepts that reduce waste, cut carbon, or make local services more resilient.

Judges for the programme include designers, climate scientists and people who run community projects. Entries are judged on real-world fit, affordability and the chance that a project can be tested quickly. Winners receive a package of coaching, exposure at events like UNEA-7, and introductions to potential partners and funders. The aim is simple: move from concept to a tested pilot that can be scaled if it proves useful.

Standout projects: low-tech fixes, nature-based materials and community systems

Among the winners were projects that shared a practical focus. One team from East Africa proposed a low-cost, locally made cooling shelter that uses evaporative cooling and shade to preserve fruit and reduce food loss. The design relies on simple materials and training for market vendors rather than complex machinery.

A second laureate from Southeast Asia presented a compostable packaging made from seaweed and agricultural residues. The team has worked with a small cooperative of fisherfolk and a regional university to test recipes that break down safely in soil.

A third project, based in Latin America, was a small circular-economy system for fishing gear: local workshops repair nets and collect damaged materials for recycling, giving fishers affordable repairs and keeping plastic out of the sea. That entry included a partnership with a community NGO and a municipal recycling centre.

Together these projects show a range: some focus on product substitutes, others on service models or repair networks. Most are small, local and designed to be cheap to run, which means each can be piloted quickly in a real neighbourhood or market.

Why these projects matter for environment and policy

The prize winners arrive at a moment when UNEA-7 is pushing for practical actions: reduce waste, protect ecosystems and link local needs to national policy. Projects that cut food loss, replace single-use plastics or build local repair systems fit neatly into that agenda because they solve everyday problems while lowering environmental harm.

Because the entries are cheap to test and rooted in local supply chains, they have a real chance of scaling. Governments and donors at the conference were watching for ideas that could be copied across cities or adapted by municipalities. If these small pilots prove effective, they may influence procurement choices, waste rules or community programs in the coming years.

Next moves: pilots, partners and loud applause

BE OPEN said winners will get tailored help this year: coaching, introductions to local partners and support to run pilot tests. Several laureates will present live demonstrations at smaller workshops in 2026 and seek seed funding from regional funds and foundations.

At the Nairobi ceremony a BE OPEN programme director said, “We want ideas people can use now, not blueprints for 2050.” One laureate, speaking after receiving the award, added: “This support gives us a real shot to test the design with the people it is meant to help.” The tone was practical — plans, not pledges.

Sources

• prnewswire.com