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Climate Change & The Environment Theme Page

CLIMATE CHANGE & THE ENVIRONMENT

18 football fields

of tropical primary forest was destroyed every minute in 2024 🔗

2024

was the warmest year on record, exceeding pre-industrial temperatures by 1.48 degrees Celsuis 🔗

8%

of disease burden in 2021 was cause by air pollution 🔗

Our planet is in crisis, but change is still possible. Find out how you can take action for climate justice and a more sustainable future.

SUBTOPICS

Climate Action
Clean Energy Transition
Oceans & Marine Conservation
Air Pollution
Plastics and Waste Management
Deforestation
Environmental Economics
Environmental Justice

MEET OUR AMBASSADORS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE & THE ENVIRONMENT

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Faiza Darkhani

Founder of Girls' Revolution through Education and Environmental Nurturing (GREEN)

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Walker Darke

Lead Author of the United Nations Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality for Europe, North America and Central Asia

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Julieta Oyarzún

Founder of TREMENDAS

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Manar Elkebir

Founder of EcoWave

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Michael Kakande

Founder of Resilient40

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Winnie Cheche

Founder of The Eco Advocate

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Rosa Vásquez Espinoza

Founder of Amazon Research Internacional

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Catarina Lorenzo

Co-Founder of S.O.S. Vale Encantado Collective & Founder, Eco Club Sustentare

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Simbarashe Dube

Waste Management Activist of Entrepreneur

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Marinel Ubaldo

Co-Founder of Youth Leaders for Environmental Action Federation

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John Paul Jose

Transdisciplinary Researcher

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Lovelyn Andrawus

Founder of Rise Up Movement Nigeria & CEO, Kwaji Environmental Education Foundation

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Shar Thae Hoy

Founder of Climate Action Lab Myanmar

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Erfan Firouzi

Author of The Year Earth Changed

OUR PARTNERS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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Chibeze Ezekiel

Executive Coordinator, Strategic Youth Network for Development

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Laurene Allen

Co-founder, Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water & Founding Member of the National PFAS Contamination Coalition

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Prashant Shekhar Yadav

Former United Nations Diplomat

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Faiza Darkhani

FOUNDER OF GIRLS' REVOLUTION
THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL NURTURING

Afghanistan

Faiza Darkhani is a globally recognized advocate for environmental sustainability, women’s empowerment, and equitable education. She previously served as a Director at the National Environmental Protection Agency in Afghanistan, where she led initiatives to promote environmental sustainability and policy development. She also held an assistant professor position at a university, mentoring young researchers and guiding students in understanding sustainable practices. Currently, Faiza is pursuing her PhD at the University of British Columbia in Canada, where she continues her research on sustainable urban green spaces. Her work has been published in renowned international journals, and her advocacy has earned her global recognition, including being named one of the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women in 2021. Faiza’s journey from Afghanistan to Canada has fueled her commitment to creating positive change, especially for marginalized communities. As an accomplished speaker, she has presented her research at international conferences and inspired diverse audiences. In addition to her academic and advocacy work, Faiza is the founder of Girls’ Revolution through Education and Environmental Nurturing (GREEN), an initiative dedicated to empowering women and youth through education and sustainable development. Through GREEN, she continues to mentor, educate, and inspire young leaders worldwide.

Walker Darke

LEAD AUTHOR,
UN ROADMAP TO CARBON NEUTRALITY FOR EUROPE,
NORTH AMERICA, AND CENTRAL ASIA

United Kingdom

Walker Darke is a PhD candidate at Fudan University, and lead author of the United Nations Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality for Europe, North America and Central Asia. He was named on the Forbes Under 30 list in 2023 for his work on sustainable development at the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the European Commission, UN Development Programme and UN Industrial Development Organization. He was the 2023 G20 Youth Delegate for the United Kingdom, and strongly advocates for youth involvement in global affairs to foster diversity and cultural understanding. He holds a Bachelor’s in French and Music from Canterbury Christ Church University and a Master of Laws from Peking University.

Julieta Oyarzún

FOUNDER, TREMENDAS

Chile

Julieta Oyarzún is a climate advocate and gender equality activist. At just 15, she founded TREMENDAS, a collaborative platform empowering young women to lead social impact initiatives. At 16, she became the first Chilean and Latina to serve on the UN Women Youth Task Force and was recently appointed a permanent advisor to UN Women. Julieta has spoken at national and international events including TEDxUAISantiago, the Latin Women Economic Forum, COP25, COP26, and Congreso Futuro 2021. She has also participated in multiple Climate Week NYC events, including engagements with Fundación Imagen de Chile, Global Citizen, the International Youth Conference, Girl Rising, and UN Women. She addressed the Generation Equality Forum in Mexico and was a keynote speaker alongside Hillary Clinton at the Paris Forum. Julieta is an honorary member of Earth Day Latin America and has received multiple accolades, including being recognized as one of the 50 Emerging Stars in ESG by Women of the Future, one of Forbes Chile’s 30 Most Influential Women and named twice as one of the 100 Latinos Most Committed to Climate Action by WWF, TNC, and Sachamama. In 2025, Julieta was selected by Cartier as one of 14 Protagonists of the Women’s Pavilion of the Future.

Manar Elkebir

FOUNDER OF ECOWAVE

Tunisia

Manar Elkebir is a Tunisian storyteller, National Geographic Young Explorer and founder of EcoWave, a youth-led initiative launched in 2019 to raise climate awareness and empower local communities through education and action. She earned global recognition and international awards for her climate advocacy and recently directed a documentary on the decline of African penguins in South Africa, using storytelling to spotlight biodiversity loss and conservation efforts. With a passion for bridging local realities and global climate narratives, she continues to work at the intersection of education, media, and grassroots mobilization.

Michael Kakende

FOUNDER OF RESILIENT40

Uganda

Michael Kakande is a climate justice leader and the Founder of Resilient40, a youth-driven African climate network spanning 30 countries. Under his leadership, Resilient40 has facilitated 846 Climate Cafes across 38 African nations, creating safe spaces for youth to discuss climate change and influence policies. He coordinates the Africa Climate Justice Caravans, uniting diverse stakeholders to advocate for urgent climate action. 

Michael serves as an advisor at Climate Counsel, is recognized as an Earth Cubs Superhero, and has been honored by the COP29 Presidency and UNFCCC High-Level Champions.

Winnie Cheche

FOUNDER OF THE ECO ADVOCATE

Kenya

Winnie Cheche is a Kenyan climate activist, conservationist, and environmental communicator with over eight years of experience advancing climate action and sustainability. With a following of over 20,000 across platforms, she leverages storytelling, digital advocacy, and grassroots engagement to promote environmental awareness and action.

Winnie is the founder of The Eco Advocate, a platform that drives sustainable living and wildlife conservation through education, campaigns, and community-led initiatives. Her work includes advocating for youth participation at the Local Conference of Youth Kenya 2021, supporting Kenya’s Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and contributing to the Kenya Energy Research Compendium to increase visibility for KEAN International. She also helped organize and raise awareness through events like Climate Live Kisumu Concert 2021. Winnie has spoken at international conferences including the Africa Economic Conference (Mauritius), the London School of Economics (UK), and the Caritas Symposium (Switzerland), where she addressed topics ranging from environmental communication to community-led climate solutions.

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF AMAZON RESEARCH INTERNACIONAL

Peru

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a scientist, conservationist, and storyteller of Indigenous descent, dedicated to bridging modern science with ancestral wisdom to protect biodiversity and drive sustainable innovation. She is a National Geographic Explorer and a BBC 100 Women 2024 honoree, leading high-impact research in the Amazon, uncovering new species, pioneering conservation efforts, and inspiring global audiences through science and storytelling.

As a keynote speaker and thought leader, she has spoken at various organizations including PepsiCo, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and National Geographic Learning. Rosa has collaborated on documentaries, science programs, and expert panels, with features on BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and Science Friday. She is also the Founder and Director of Amazon Research Internacional (ARI), dedicated to protecting biodiversity and empowering Indigenous communities through conservation, technology, and education.

Catarina Lorenzo

CO-FOUNDER OF THE S.O.S. VALE ENCANTADO COLLECTIVE
& FOUNDER OF ECO CLUB SUSTENTARE

Brazil

Catarina Lorenzo is a global socio-environmental and climate activist and 18-year-old professional surfer from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. She presented a petition “Children.vs.climatecrisis” at the UN at the age of 12, where she spoke together with 15 children representing global countries, on the issue of Climate Change and Children’s Rights. She is a Global Youth Leader at Heirs to Our Ocean, a Fellow of the Nature Fellowship of Instituto Alana, a UNICEF Youth Advocate and a Impactos Positivo Embassador. She is also an Alumni of the High Seas Youth Ambassador Program and of the Child Advisory Team of Child Rights Connect. Finally, she is the co-founder of the S.O.S Vale Encantado collective and founder of Eco Club Sustentare, a project focused on education and environmental innovation and sustainability.

Simbarashe Dube

WASTE MANAGEMENT ACTIVIST AND ENTREPRENEUR

Zambia

Simbarashe is a visionary eco-preneur and the 2024 Africa Earthizen Award winner, recognized for his innovative and entrepreneurial approach to tackling the challenges of waste management. Known as a “wastepreneur,” he is redefining how waste is perceived and managed—transforming discarded materials into valuable resources and creating new economic opportunities.

Driven by a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and informed by sharp business insight, Simbarashe’s work goes beyond profit generation. His efforts focus on building a cleaner, healthier environment while fostering sustainable practices within his community. Through his ventures, he is advancing environmental conservation, promoting circular economy models, and enabling local economic empowerment by creating employment through waste-to-resource initiatives.

Marinel Ubaldo

CO-FOUNDER OF YOUTH LEADERS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION FEDERATION

Phillipines

Marinel Ubaldo is a climate justice activist, environmentalist, and registered social worker from the Philippines. After surviving Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), Marinel has used her experience to advocate for climate action and resilience in vulnerable communities. She is a leading voice for youth climate advocacy in Southeast Asia and has represented the Philippines on international platforms like  COP21 and testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2021, urging world leaders to act on climate injustice in East Asia and the Pacific. She was part of the UN Environment Programme’s Global Earth For Youth Council and UN Women’s 30 for 2030. Marinel co-founded the Youth Leaders for Environmental Action Federation (YLEAF) and has trained hundreds of young leaders and community organizers in climate education and advocacy. She has collaborated with organizations like Greenpeace, UNDP, and Amnesty International, amplifying the voices of climate-impacted populations, with her work being featured in various media outlets including TIME, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera.

John Paul Jose

ACTIVIST, TRANSDISCIPLINARY RESEARCHER

India

John Paul Jose is a sustainability and climate action expert with interdisciplinary expertise in sustainable development, climate justice, biodiversity conservation, and environmental advocacy. Combining academic knowledge with practical solutions, he specialises in policy development, socio-ecological resilience, transdisciplinary research and nexus thinking and integrating traditional knowledge and practices with modernity. As an environmental and climate justice activist, he has also been actively involved in movements and campaigns. His work extends globally, having collaborated with organizations such as UNDP, The New York Times, and TED Countdown. He has also spoken at major international forums, including COP negotiations. Currently, he is leading two projects focused on coastal conservation, community engagement, and citizen science.

Lovelyn Andrawus

FOUNDER OF RISE UP MOVEMENT NIGERIA
& CEO OF KWAJI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Nigeria

Lovelyn Andrawus is an environmentalist and gender and climate justice activist from Nigeria. She is the Founder of Rise Up Movement Nigeria and the CEO of the Kwaji Environmental Education Foundation, a local organization focused on climate education, youth empowerment, and addressing the impacts of climate change.

She has expertise in waste management and advocates for a just energy transition. Lovelyn also leads as the Chapter Head for Fridays for Future Northern Nigeria, where she supports climate activism and uplifts the voices of young climate advocates across the region. She is the author of The Adventures of Zira and Kuve, an environmental comic book aimed at promoting awareness and behavioral change among children. She has also served at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, contributes to climate education, and is an active SDGs advocate.

Shar Thae Hoy

FOUNDER OF CLIMATE ACTION LAB MYANMAR

Myanmar

Shar Thae Hoy is a climate advocate from Myanmar. She is the founder of Climate Action Lab Myanmar (CALM), the country’s first youth-led, action-driven, and research-oriented climate organization focused on climate education, innovation, and advocacy.

Shar has led projects on Green and Blue STEM education, climate literacy, and community resilience, particularly in marginalized and climate-vulnerable areas. She has delivered over 20 public talks and contributed to numerous youth-focused climate initiatives across Myanmar and South Asia.

She currently spearheads STEM-based environmental education for youth in remote regions, working to make climate science more accessible and actionable. Shar also serves as Co-Chair of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Youth Task Force, advocating for ecosystem recovery and youth engagement in climate solutions.

Erfan Firouzi

SCIENTIST, AUTHOR, ADVOCATE

Australia

Erfan Firouzi is a first-year Bachelor of Science student at Monash University, with a distinguished profile in environmental science and biodiversity conservation. Recognized globally for his commitment to preserving our planet, Firouzi has already made substantial contributions to the field, including the publication of his acclaimed research book, The Year Earth Changed. His leadership in global educational and advocacy efforts reflects his dedication to addressing complex ecological challenges and promoting sustainable practices.

A prominent figure in international environmental forums, Firouzi has participated in high-impact events such as COP28, COP16, TEDx, and COY18. Firouzi has led impactful initiatives, partnering with international organisations advocating for the preservation of ecosystems and raising awareness around critical environmental issues.

His work in citizen science, member of IUCN as a youth professional, and strategic environmental education campaigns amplify his message, ensuring that complex scientific concepts are made accessible and engaging to diverse audiences. Firouzi has earned several accolades, including Storyteller of the Year, global recognition award, Environmental Leadership Award, Junior Eco Champion, for COP28, and a finalist spot in the Chegg.org Global Student Award, underscoring his ability to inspire meaningful global action.

Chibeze Ezekiel

EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR OF THE STRATEGIC YOUTH NETWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT

Ghana

Chibeze Ezekiel is the Executive Coordinator of the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), a youth-oriented NGO that promotes youth inclusion in the governance of the Natural Resources & Environmental (NRE) sector. He’s a member of the board of 350.org and the 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize Recipient for Africa. He also chairs the Youth in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance (Youth-NREG) Platform, which has enhanced the knowledge of over 50,000 young people directly and indirectly through our trainings, community engagement interventions and social media campaigns. As a strong climate activist, he holds the conviction that young people must be at the heart of climate solutions and environmental protection given their innovative ideas, energies, skills and abilities.

As a climate strategist and clean & sustainable energy exponent, he offers invaluable support to Ghana’s climate agenda such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plan and Just Energy Transition. He also trains CSOs on effective ways of engaging Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) such as the World Bank & AfDB. He contributes to key publications on climate and environmental issues with copies on his blog: www.chibeze.blogspot.com

Laurene Allen

CO-FOUNDER OF MERRIMACK CITIZENS FOR CLEAN WATER
& FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL PFAS CONTAMINATION COALITION

USA

Laurene Allen is a community based clinical social worker, co-founder of the Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water community advocacy group and a founding member of the National PFAS Contamination Coalition. She started advocating for the needs of residents in Merrimack, NH after learning in 2016 that her family and community members were impacted by industry attributed PFAS contamination of drinking water. In addition to community engagement, education and advocacy efforts on a local, state and federal level, Laurene has focused on raising awareness of community health impacts believed to be associated with both past and ongoing PFAS exposure. Together with citizen advocates from across the nation, she has also led efforts to attain a holistic and integrated federal response to PFAS exposure that ensures health science drives environmental policy and community support measures. Laurene strongly believes that PFAS impacted community members are valid exposure outcome observers as illustrated by facilitating a community designed and led health survey. The resulting co-authored paper, entitled Making the Invisible Visible: results of a community-led health survey following PFAS contamination of drinking water in Merrimack, New Hampshire, has been published in the journal, Environmental Health and can be read about on the CFCW website cleanwaternh.org. In recognition of her leadership and impact, Laurene received the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize for North America.

Prashant Shekhar Yadav

Former un diplomat

India

Prashant Shekhar Yadav is a former United Nations diplomat and sustainability campaigner with expertise in multilateral diplomacy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) policy. Between 2015 and 2021, he held several key roles at the United Nations Headquarters, contributing to high-level negotiations, policy development, and representing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at major UN forums.In his final UN role, Prashant served as Adviser on SDGs to the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Palau to the United Nations. He represented Palau at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the UN SDG Summit, and the UN Climate Action Summit, among others. Earlier, Prashant worked with the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Permanent Mission of Vanuatu to the UN, and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in New York, supporting landmark events such as the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Summit that adopted the SDGs. His contributions were
highlighted in UNITAR’s annual results report.Since 2021, he has worked independently in India, collaborating with stakeholders to organize UN-aligned sustainability dialogues. He holds three interdisciplinary master’s degrees from the UK and a bachelor’s degree from India.