GEMS Education recently concluded the Environment Conference of Schools (ECOS) 2025, a one-day, entirely student-led conference that brought together 24 teams, youth environmental advocates, educators, and industry leaders from across the UAE.
Hosted at GEMS Founders School –Dubai and themed “Bridging Environmental Stewardship with Innovation and Opportunity”, the conference highlighted the remarkable contributions of youth in driving sustainability and innovation.
The ECOS event featured an inspiring keynote by Ghaya Al Ahbabi, UNICEF Youth Advocate and COP28 Ambassador, who emphasised the vital role of youth leadership in addressing environmental challenges, while sharing her own journey as a youth advocate in the UAE.
The conference also welcomed Kailash Iyer, Head of Investment Fund at Oxfam International, who shed light on the indiscriminate effects of climate change on society, governance, and the global economy.
GEMS student Aliza Siddiqui, lead organiser of ECOS 2025, reinforced this in her speech, stating that “the most powerful ideas aren’t locked in boardrooms – they’re born in classrooms.”
Organised with the support of SustainHERability Girl Up, ECOS 2025 showcased a variety of activities, including the SDG Action Zone, where various schools presented their sustainability initiatives in a dynamic exhibition,as well as the Hack the Heat Climate Competition, which encouraged students to develop innovative solutions to one of four climate challenges.
Each initiative aligned with the United Nations International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, emphasising global efforts to combat climate change.
Participants also had the opportunity to write their own ‘commitment pledges’ where they were tasked with writing their promises, hopes, or wishes for a more sustainable future. These student pledges are now on display in GEMS Founders School’s main auditorium as a testament to student voice and innovation.
The event concluded with a presentation of various awards, including Eco-Innovator of the Year,awarded to GEMS Cambridge International School – Dubai; Sustainable School Award,presented to Al Ain British Academy; and Renewable Future Award,presented to GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar.
Winners of the Hack the Heat Climate Competition included Team Blue Horizon and Eco-Grow Systems from GEMS Modern Academy as well as TerraByte from GEMS Al Barsha National School.
Winning solutions included creating soil microbial fuel cells, smart devices for coral reef restoration and smart water filters using hydroelectric energy, with awards presented by BarkhaBahirwani, Founder of Green Majlis.