Wednesday, 01 October, 2025
Bangladesh Chief Adviser and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday (Sept 22) called on young people worldwide to take the lead in shaping a “3-Zero World,” urging them to form grassroots “3-Zero Clubs” dedicated to solving humanity’s most pressing crises.
Speaking at a high-level United Nations side event titled Social Business, Youth and Technology at the UN Headquarters in New York, Prof Yunus outlined his vision for a planet built on three pillars: Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Wealth Concentration to End Poverty, and Zero Unemployment — achieved through unleashing human creativity and entrepreneurship.
“This is not just an idea, it is already happening,” he said, encouraging young people to step forward as changemakers. “We are inviting every young person to become a 3-Zero person — someone who contributes nothing to global warming, nothing to wealth inequality, and nothing to joblessness.”
Prof Yunus explained that the concept is designed to move beyond awareness into action. 3-Zero Clubs would be spaces where members collaborate on concrete solutions such as launching social businesses, adopting sustainable lifestyles, and influencing their communities to reduce waste and emissions. “These clubs can grow into 3-Zero families, 3-Zero villages, 3-Zero cities — and ultimately a 3-Zero world,” he said.
The Chief Adviser stressed that climate action cannot wait, aligning his call with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s “Zero Waste Initiative.” He urged governments and businesses to invest in young innovators and accelerate the shift toward renewable energy, circular economies, and equitable financial systems.
Prof Yunus, widely credited as the pioneer of microcredit and social business, warned that unchecked wealth concentration is pushing millions into poverty and threatening global stability.
“We cannot afford to let the fruits of human creativity accumulate in a handful of pockets while billions are excluded,” he said, calling for systemic reforms that democratize opportunity and empower youth to become job creators rather than job seekers.
He also emphasized the power of technology as a catalyst for global change, arguing that AI, digital finance, and connectivity should be used to solve social and environmental problems, not deepen inequalities. “Social business combined with technology can redesign the economy for the benefit of all, rather than the few,” he said.
Calling the UN forum “a source of inspiration rather than just speeches,” Prof Yunus urged international institutions to amplify youth-led initiatives and make them central to the global development agenda. “In these turbulent times, true transformation lies in our unity,” he said.
“If we join hands — harnessing the power of social business, the energy of youth, and the potential of technology — we can untangle even the most complex global crises.”
He closed with an appeal to the global community: “Let us become the architects of a new wave — a world built on justice, sustainability and hope. Together, we can ignite a new dawn for all of humanity.”
Dr Muhammad Yunus’s “3-Zero Theory” envisions a world with Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Wealth Concentration to End Poverty, and Zero Unemployment. Central to this vision is the creation of “3-Zero Clubs,” grassroots platforms where young people collaborate to drive social, economic, and environmental transformation. T
The theory calls for sustainable living, waste reduction, and social entrepreneurship to address climate change, inequality, and joblessness.
Yunus argues that by harnessing human creativity, technology, and community participation, societies can move beyond charity and build a fairer economy that empowers people as job creators, ultimately leading to a just, inclusive, and sustainable planet.
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Bangladesh Chief Adviser and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday (Sept 22) called on young people worldwide to take the lead in shaping a “3-Zero World,” urging them to form grassroots “3-Zero Clubs” dedicated to solving humanity’s most pressing crises.
Speaking at a high-level United Nations side event titled Social Business, Youth and Technology at the UN Headquarters in New York, Prof Yunus outlined his vision for a planet built on three pillars: Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Wealth Concentration to End Poverty, and Zero Unemployment — achieved through unleashing human creativity and entrepreneurship.
“This is not just an idea, it is already happening,” he said, encouraging young people to step forward as changemakers. “We are inviting every young person to become a 3-Zero person — someone who contributes nothing to global warming, nothing to wealth inequality, and nothing to joblessness.”
Prof Yunus explained that the concept is designed to move beyond awareness into action. 3-Zero Clubs would be spaces where members collaborate on concrete solutions such as launching social businesses, adopting sustainable lifestyles, and influencing their communities to reduce waste and emissions. “These clubs can grow into 3-Zero families, 3-Zero villages, 3-Zero cities — and ultimately a 3-Zero world,” he said.
The Chief Adviser stressed that climate action cannot wait, aligning his call with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s “Zero Waste Initiative.” He urged governments and businesses to invest in young innovators and accelerate the shift toward renewable energy, circular economies, and equitable financial systems.
Prof Yunus, widely credited as the pioneer of microcredit and social business, warned that unchecked wealth concentration is pushing millions into poverty and threatening global stability.
“We cannot afford to let the fruits of human creativity accumulate in a handful of pockets while billions are excluded,” he said, calling for systemic reforms that democratize opportunity and empower youth to become job creators rather than job seekers.
He also emphasized the power of technology as a catalyst for global change, arguing that AI, digital finance, and connectivity should be used to solve social and environmental problems, not deepen inequalities. “Social business combined with technology can redesign the economy for the benefit of all, rather than the few,” he said.
Calling the UN forum “a source of inspiration rather than just speeches,” Prof Yunus urged international institutions to amplify youth-led initiatives and make them central to the global development agenda. “In these turbulent times, true transformation lies in our unity,” he said.
“If we join hands — harnessing the power of social business, the energy of youth, and the potential of technology — we can untangle even the most complex global crises.”
He closed with an appeal to the global community: “Let us become the architects of a new wave — a world built on justice, sustainability and hope. Together, we can ignite a new dawn for all of humanity.”
Dr Muhammad Yunus’s “3-Zero Theory” envisions a world with Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Wealth Concentration to End Poverty, and Zero Unemployment. Central to this vision is the creation of “3-Zero Clubs,” grassroots platforms where young people collaborate to drive social, economic, and environmental transformation. T
The theory calls for sustainable living, waste reduction, and social entrepreneurship to address climate change, inequality, and joblessness.
Yunus argues that by harnessing human creativity, technology, and community participation, societies can move beyond charity and build a fairer economy that empowers people as job creators, ultimately leading to a just, inclusive, and sustainable planet.
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