The Global Bioenergy Partnership Youth Award (GBEP Youth Award) seeks to recognize and promote outstanding research in the bioenergy field conducted by students and early-career researchers. Each year, the award focuses on a different region, and for 2026, GBEP is inviting contributions from the Americas – North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean.
Initiated in response to the Gleneagles Plan of Action in 2005 by the G8 +5 countries, the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) is hosted at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
GBEP’s mission is to “support wider, cost-effective biomass and biofuels deployment, particularly in developing countries where biomass use is prevalent”, and the partnership focuses on sustainable development, climate change mitigation, and food and energy security.
Young researchers in the Americas
The 5th GBEP Youth Award, GBEP Youth Award 2026, seeks to recognize and promote outstanding research in the field of bioenergy conducted by students and early-career researchers, currently enrolled in, or have recently graduated from, a recognized academic institution in the Americas (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD level).
The award focuses on diverse areas, including environmental, social, and economic sustainability, circular bioeconomy, bioenergy technologies, supply chain logistics, policy development, societal practices, and addressing climate change.
The scope of the research papers can cover a wide range of topics central to GBEP’s work and mission.
The submission deadline for original research papers on topics such as innovative bioenergy technologies, business models and policies, sustainable bioenergy production practices, and the role of bioenergy in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is March 31, 2026, with winners due to be announced at the end of April 2026.
The winners will be celebrated during the 13th GBEP Bioenergy Week in the Americas, tentatively slated for June 2026, with exact dates and location to be announced.
