Recounting Africa’s 2024 sustainability global gains

In a momentous achievement for both Ghana and the African continent, Daniel Awomnab and his team, AmbassaT, have made history by winning Africa’s first-ever Sustainability World Cup at the Digital Enterprise Show held in Malaga, Spain from June 11 to June 12, 2024.

This groundbreaking win marks a significant milestone in global climate leadership and highlights Africa’s growing influence in the global fight against climate change.

Daniel, a dedicated sustainable development advocate, was already well known for his environmental advocacy when he was selected and fully funded by the United Nations and the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition to represent Ghana at the prestigious Youth4Climate event in Milan, Italy, in 2021.

At the time, Daniel was serving as the Country Coordinator for the Team 54 Project International, a United States based organization focused on mobilizing young people to act on climate issues in the Global South. His role in the organization, along with his proven commitment to sustainability, earned him the opportunity to join hundreds of youth leaders from around the world at the UN-organized platform aimed at amplifying youth voices in climate policy discussions. His participation at Youth4Climate marked a defining moment for Ghana’s youth in the global climate movement.

Fast forward to 2024, and Daniel has once again made history, this time as an advisory lead alongside Rhiannon Gallagher (USA) of AmbassaT, the African team that triumphed at the Sustainability World Cup, a groundbreaking global event that brought together teams from around the world to showcase innovative solutions for sustainability.

His team comprised of outstanding young leaders including Chief Dr. Gbujie Chidubem Daniel (Nigeria), Silas Kimara Ochaka (Uganda), Prince Chinaza Uchegbu (Nigeria), Leonard Tabengwa (South Africa/Zimbabwe) and Delight Gbujie Chimdiuto (Nigeria). AmbassaT also emerged as winners for other distinct categories such as Best Environmental Performance, Best Social Performance and Best Business for Prosperity.

The maiden edition of the Sustainability World Cup took place on June 11 as part of the DES – Digital Enterprise Show 2024, Europe's largest event on exponential technologies. The event brought together over 17,000 business leaders from around the world, all focused on enhancing their organizations' profitability through digital transformation.

The competition provided a platform for 10 teams from around the world to demonstrate knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and leadership aimed at achieving sustainable business growth. It also served as an avenue for participants to understand and apply sustainable business principles for technology-driven innovation to amplify relevant gains. It was sponsored by TEAMLABS—a pioneering learning laboratory with locations in Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga—renowned for its transformative impact on society.

AmbassaT’s victory has been hailed as a watershed moment for African youth and a clear demonstration of the continent’s potential in the global sustainability movement. By leading the charge in this inaugural event, Daniel and his team have set a new precedent for youth leadership in addressing climate change. Their project not only reflected Africa’s unique talent but also emphasized the power of collaborative, grassroots solutions to pressing environmental issues.

The team expressed gratitude to youth leaders such as H.E. Chido Cleopatra Mpemba (African Union Youth Envoy), Mary Apollo (South Sudan), Jefter Senya K. Agbo (Ghana) and Johnbosco Ife (Nigeria). Appreciation also went to elders like Hajia Ramatu Ahmed (Founder, African Life Center), Prof. Nelson Aluya, Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone President) and Hon. Desmond Pessima (Sierra Leone’s Presidential Youth Advisor).

Daniel is an alumnus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Accra Business School, the Higher School of Economics, Bowling Green State University, and Cornell University’s Civic Ecology Lab. He is a member of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network, overseen by the U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He is also a member of Climate Reality Leadership Corps under the leadership of the former US Vice President Al Gore. In June 2021, he received the Eco Hero Award.

From serving as a distinguished delegate at the Youth4Climate event to advising AmbassaT's triumph at the Sustainability World Cup has solidified his place as one of Africa’s foremost sustainability leaders. His continued efforts in promoting environmental education and mobilizing youth across the continent ensure that the momentum created by this victory will continue to inspire future generations of young climate leaders.

As Daniel looks to the future, he remains committed to advancing the climate agenda through education, advocacy, and innovation. With his leadership and the global recognition, he’s received, Daniel’s vision of a sustainable future for Africa and the world is becoming a reality, one project at a time.