The climate crisis is not a future problem — it's a now problem. And no one understands that more deeply than the youth who are stepping up to lead the change.

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Around the world, youth are rising as powerful voices for environmental justice, sustainability, and change. From grassroots activism to global policy advocacy, their stories remind us that leadership doesn’t start with age — it starts with courage.

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Here are some influential stories from youths who are leading climate discourses in sparking change:

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1. Sofia Oliveira - In 2020, Sofia and five other Portuguese young adults and children between 11 and 24 years of age accused 32 European governments of violating their human rights due to their limited efforts in addressing climate change. The court case attracted international attention, putting youth voices front and center in the climate conversation, inspiring many to become more active and confident changemakers. 

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2. Catarina Lorenzo - In 2019, at just 12 years old, she co-submitted the “Children vs. Climate Crisis” petition to the UN, highlighting climate action failures by Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey. This demonstrated to youths worldwide that their voices matter in global decision-making and that they can hold powerful governments accountable for a better and healthier planet. 

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3. Elizabeth Wathuti - A dedicated environmentalist and dynamic young climate leader from Kenya and the founder of the Green Generation Initiative in 2016 - a youth-led initiative aimed at addressing environmental issues through education, tree growing for impact, advocacy, and activism. This initiative mobilised thousands of youths in planting over 30,000 trees to promote environmental awareness. According to TIME magazine, she led the first African Youth Climate Assembly - seeking to unite and amplify the perspective of young Africans into international climate discussions, and was awarded the TIME100 Impact Award for her dedication to environmental conservation and youth empowerment. In leading by example she continues to inspire many African Youths today showing that they have the power to make a real difference in fighting climate change, no matter their age or background.

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4. Jerome Foster II - is an environmental justice activist and social entrepreneur. As part of the 'School Strike for Climate’ movement - he led strikes every Friday for 58 weeks outside the White House aimed at raising awareness and pressuring the government to take stronger action on climate change. At 18, he was the first ever youngest advisory to the White House by joining the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council - under the Biden Administration to advise the US President on best ways to advance environmental justice. 

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5. Boyan Slat - A Dutch inventor and entrepreneur renowned for founding The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic. His journey began at 16 in Greece, during a scuba diving trip where he encountered more plastic bags than marine species. This experience sparked his determination to find a solution to ocean plastic pollution. His innovative idea of using ocean currents to passively collect plastic waste challenged traditional, energy-heavy cleanup methods and offered a scalable, tech-driven solution to one of the world’s biggest environmental problems. His resilience, global awareness campaigns, and ability to secure funding have made him a leading figure in environmental innovation and youth-led climate action. 

 

How do you want to lead environmental change and make an impact? 

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