Competition-based Approach to Climate Action: #CircularCityChallenge, A Competition for Teenagers

The world faces climate change caused by environmental degradation and ecosystem collapse. Cities play a vital role in addressing these challenges, and circular urban development, in the form of "circular cities," is becoming increasingly popular as a way to achieve sustainable development. The CircularCityChallenge, building on fundamentals of circular cities and approaches in education for sustainable development, is a competition that targets young people aged 14-18, encouraging them to submit their ideas for a circular future in their own environments and simultaneously educating them about sustainable development. The challenge offers an innovative example of a participatory platform that is structured on a five-step process, in which young people would be getting familiar with the (1) circular city concept, (2) critical thinking, (3) system thinking, (4) pluralistic thinking, and (5) creative thinking. Encouraging networking and providing approaches for networking, the challenge potentially creates a liaison between local government/businesses and young people, and the fresh ideas and approaches that young people bring to the table carry the potential to inform local governments/businesses about local urban development needs, allowing them to collaboratively build circular futures for cities.