Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL) 2025 International Schools Essay and Debate Competition

Published: 17 Oct 2024

Since our first competition was launched in 2010, we have received over 14,000 essay and video entries from 120 countries, exploring topics from sustainability education, protecting biodiversity and sustainable cities, to climate justice, nature-based solutions and youth messages to world leaders.

This year, in celebration of our 15th year of International Student Competitions, we are excited to launch our next competition inviting students to share their original, creative and expressive responses to the theme, From Eco-Anxiety to Eco Action & Empowerment

Eco-anxiety, climate grief and climate anxiety are defined as ‘negative emotional responses generated due to the threat of environmental and climate crisis’.  A 2024 United Nations report has highlighted that ‘Eco-anxiety’ is an ‘emergency crisis hidden in plain sight’ and is likely to create a massive impact among the world’s children and youth.

Recent global surveys have indicated that over 50% of young people are experiencing eco-anxiety and are extremely worried about environmental and climate change, with many reporting feelings of sadness, anxiousness, anger, powerlessness, helplessness and guilt.

Responses to the climate and ecological crisis such as anxiety and anger are natural and healthy emotional responses, and many believe these feelings can be channelled and can help encourage engagement, understanding and action at an individual and group level, as demonstrated by the rise in youth engagement and action seen over the last few years.

TSL wants to help young people develop a sense of agency, empowerment and hope for solutions and action by creating a safe and supportive space and outlet for expression for students and teachers to explore moving from feelings of eco-anxiety, to eco action & empowerment.

We are open to accepting any form of student response, you can choose to create a piece of artwork, music, video, poem, essay, letter, story, etc.  There are no restrictions on the type of work submitted, we want students to be as open and creative as possible in interpreting the theme, however it must meet the submission criteria detailed in the brief.

TSL International Schools Essay and Debate Competition

Benefits of TSL International Schools Essay and Debate Competition

• Our overall Grand Prize Winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize of £1000 plus £500 for their school, with one
• Runner Up will receive a trophy and a cash prize of £500 plus £250 for their school (cash prizes paid in local currency).
• All participating Teacher Champions, Finalists, Honourable Mentions and International Debate participants, will receive personalised e-certificates.

Requirements for TSL International Schools Essay and Debate Competition

The International Student Competition is open to all students worldwide, aged 7-18 across two age categories – 7-11 years and 12-18 years

Selection Process

Judging criteria

Our entries will be judged by an international panel of sustainability experts and educationalists, who will select the winning entries in each category.

The judges are looking for originality and creativity in all formats – and the potential to contribute to constructive national or international debate. Unique perspectives often score highly.

Our judges will be scoring entries on:

• Understanding of the topic
• Originality, innovation and creativity
• Inspirational power
• Communication and presentation of idea (effective use of chosen medium)

Each student’s age is taken into account when judging, so that younger students are not at a disadvantage when compared with older students.

Key dates

• September 2024: TSL 2025 Competition Launch – ECO ANXIETY.  Registration for Teacher Champions/Schools to participate in the TSL 2025 Student Competition will open on the TSL Submittable page on 4th October.
• 03 March 2025: Final deadline for all entries.
• 01 May 2025: Announcement of International Competition 2025 Finalists & Honourable Mentions on TSL website
• 23 May 2025: Top Ten Finalists from Primary and Secondary categories notified via Teacher Champion.
• 27-28 May 25: Invitations to participate in the International Student Debates sent to eligible students via their Teacher Champion.
• Summer 2025: International Student Debates & Awards (online)

Application Deadline

March 3, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Trust For Sustainable Living on trustforsustainableliving.submittable.com to apply