08/01/2025

Student competition drives climate adaptation in Mérida

A group of seventeen people poses outdoors under a large leafy tree, with dappled sunlight filtering through the branches. Eight people are kneeling or sitting in the front row, while nine stand behind them, all smiling warmly. The group is casually dressed, and the setting appears to be a relaxed, sunny environment with greenery and a bright blue wall in the background. — Group of students from Merida, Mexico.

In our new series “Youth Empowerment and Action Highlight” – or IKI YEAH for short – we present successful initiatives from IKI projects that empower young people to engage in sustainable transformation. In this edition, we take a look at Mexico.

Between August and October 2023 the CitiesAdapt project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and its partner city Mérida, organised a student competition. The aim: to develop fresh and innovative ideas for adapting public space in disadvantaged neighbourhoods to the impacts of climate change. 88 students from twelve degree programmes across six universities submitted detailed design proposals, most of them focused on nature-based solutions (NbS). Three finalist teams received cash prizes. Their NbS concepts fed directly into an adaptation model, later realised as part of the project with private sector partners.

Results

The ideas competition successfully mobilised young people to help shape climate adaptation measures. It attracted wide media attention and raised public awareness of climate issues. Both students and faculty valued the competition as a rich learning experience and emphasised the need to better integrate climate change topics more effectively into academic curricula and career development.

Lessons Learned

University students bring strong motivation and creative skills to local climate action. Key factors for success included close cooperation with municipal authorities and active engagement with local and regional media, including a press conference and related outreach. Media coverage also supported contacts with universities: municipal partners helped establish personal meetings, while publicity sparked further interest.

Replication Potential

A climate adaptation student competition is easy to replicate. The Municipality of Mérida is already planning a second edition this year. While the competition’s structure can be transferred to other cities, the content should be adapted to match local challenges and priorities. Cities and projects interested in replicating the approach can consult the project’s “Terms of Reference for Student Competition (Tool 6)” template, available in the linked toolbox.

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