Young voices for the planet
Meet 10 young leaders working for a better future
Young people are the guardians of our planet’s future. Born into the reality of the global climate and nature crises, they are committed to building sustainable environments in which they and future generations can thrive. Youth today have the energy and insights to help lead us toward a low-carbon, nature-positive, and climate-resilient future.
A Global Environment Facility Consultation with Civil Society, co-hosted with the GEF CSO Network and the GEF Small Grants Programme, provided a platform for young leaders to share their experiences and discuss ways young people can get more involved in environmental planning and projects. Akhteruzzaman Sano, Chair of the GEF-CSO Network, opened the CSO Consultations by emphasizing the crucial role young people can play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Youth can move the world. We need to keep the door open for them.”
Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF, urged them to cast a wide net as they join the frontlines of conservation.
“Set your goals and ambitions very high. We need you all as leaders in different sectors.”
Meet 10 young leaders championing environmental action
Young people are the guardians of our planet’s future. Born into the reality of the global climate and nature crises, they are committed to building sustainable environments in which they and future generations can thrive. Youth today have the energy and insights to help lead us toward a low-carbon, nature-positive, and climate-resilient future.
A Global Environment Facility Consultation with Civil Society, co-hosted with the GEF CSO Network, provided a platform for young leaders to share their experiences and discuss ways young people can get more involved in environmental planning and projects. Akhteruzzaman Sano, Chair of the GEF-CSO Network, opened the CSO Consultations by emphasizing the crucial role young people can play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Youth can move the world. We need to keep the door open for them.”
Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF, urged them to cast a wide net as they join the frontlines of conservation.
“Set your goals and ambitions very high. We need you all as leaders in different sectors.”
Meet 10 young leaders championing environmental action
Elizabeth Wathuti
Alba Verónica Vicenta Yacabalquiej Salanic
Desmond Alugnoa
Barsha Lekhi
Maribel Santiz Aguilar
Chibeze Ezekiel
Kiefer Jackson
Johnny Dabrowski
Derrick Emmanuel Mugisha
Errachid Montassir
Elizabeth Wathuti
Age: 26
Country: Kenya
Subject area: Youth education, nature conservation
Keynote speaker Elizabeth Wathuti opened her speech by recalling moments from her childhood that connected her to nature— from spending time chasing butterflies to running through the forests in Kenya. It was this connection to nature that inspired her to start the Green Generation Initiative, a campaign that encourages young people to be environmentally conscious from an early age. She urged the GEF Secretariat to consider the interests of young people in environmental initiatives and in all decision-making spaces.
“I see a whole generation of people who are pouring energy and creativity into restoring a dying world.”
Follow her on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Learn more about the Green Generation Initiative and watch her speech at the World Leaders Summit at COP26.
Elizabeth Wathuti
Age: 26
Country: Kenya
Subject area: Youth education, nature conservation
Keynote speaker Elizabeth Wathuti opened her speech by recalling moments from her childhood that connected her to nature— from spending time chasing butterflies to running through the forests in Kenya. It was this connection to nature that inspired her to start the Green Generation Initiative, a campaign that encourages young people to be environmentally conscious from an early age. She urged the GEF Secretariat to consider the interests of young people in environmental initiatives and in all decision-making spaces.
“I see a whole generation of people who are pouring energy and creativity into restoring a dying world.”
Follow her on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Learn more about the Green Generation Initiative and watch her speech at the World Leaders Summit at COP26.
Alba Verónica Vicenta Yacabalquiej Salanic
Age: 25
Country: Guatemala
Subject area: Youth engagement, gender equality, Indigenous peoples, climate action
Alba Yacabalquiej is a gender equality and community governance advocate from Xecam, a village in Guatemala’s western highlands. She spoke about her education as a Mayan indigenous woman and her work involving women and young people in environmental initiatives.
"The course that climate change will take depends on us, so it is important that we participate in the organizations and institutions working with the goal of curbing global warming.”
Follow her on social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
In a GEF Voices interview, Alba discussed what she has learned working closely with young Indigenous people and women on environmental themes.
Alba Verónica Vicenta Yacabalquiej Salanic
Age: 25
Country: Guatemala
Subject area: Youth engagement, gender equality, Indigenous peoples, climate action
Alba Yacabalquiej is a gender equality and community governance advocate from Xecam, a village in Guatemala’s western highlands. She spoke about her education as a Mayan indigenous woman and her work involving women and young people in environmental initiatives.
"The course that climate change will take depends on us, so it is important that we participate in the organizations and institutions working with the goal of curbing global warming.”
Follow her on social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
In a GEF Voices interview, Alba discussed what she has learned working closely with young Indigenous people and women on environmental themes.
Desmond Alugnoa
Age: 31
Country: Ghana
Subject area: Circular economy, gender equality, climate action
Desmond Alugnoa, co-founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization, talked about his efforts to deliver a waste management model based on the circular economy. He highlighted a project that worked with local people to plant trees and another that provided local women with access to clean water and sanitary pads.
“I work with grassroots communities, and every little impact makes a significant difference in their lives.”
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Learn how the Green Africa Youth Organization works with local communities to reduce climate vulnerability.
Desmond Alugnoa
Age: 31
Country: Ghana
Subject area: Circular economy, gender equality, climate action
Desmond Alugnoa, co-founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization, talked about his efforts to deliver a waste management model based on the circular economy. He highlighted a project that worked with local people to plant trees and another that provided local women with access to clean water and sanitary pads.
“I work with grassroots communities, and every little impact makes a significant difference in their lives.”
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Learn how the Green Africa Youth Organization works with local communities to reduce climate vulnerability.
Barsha Lekhi
Age: 27
Country: Nepal
Subject area: Indigenous peoples, renewable energy
Barsha Lekhi, a GEF Small Grants Programme Indigenous Peoples Fellow from Nepal, highlighted the reality that Indigenous peoples in her country have limited access to education and health facilities. She talked about her own work with Indigenous healers to document and share their traditional practices.
“Providing green jobs can be part of environmental solutions.”
Follow her on social media: Instagram | Twitter
Learn more about her involvement with various initiatives related to Indigenous peoples.
Barsha Lekhi
Age: 27
Country: Nepal
Subject area: Indigenous peoples, renewable energy
Barsha Lekhi, a GEF Small Grants Programme Indigenous Peoples Fellow from Nepal, highlighted the reality that Indigenous peoples in her country have limited access to education and health facilities. She talked about her own work with Indigenous healers to document and share their traditional practices.
“Providing green jobs can be part of environmental solutions.”
Follow her on social media: Instagram | Twitter
Learn more about her involvement with various initiatives related to Indigenous peoples.
Maribel Santiz Aguilar
Age: 18 years
Country: Mexico
Subject area: Gender and Indigenous peoples
Maribel Sántiz Aguilar belongs to the Chilolja community in the Municipality of San Juan Cancuc. In the discussion, she talked about the ways improper waste management and soil contamination have impacted her village’s harvests. She also highlighted the importance of promoting women’s rights, preserving native culture and languages, and engaging youth in environmental training programs.
“We want to live in peace with nature. We want to recover our culture.”
Discover how her work with One Equal Heart Foundation supports collaboration with Indigenous Peoples in Chiapas, Mexico, to spark leadership, build equity, and catalyze change.
Maribel Santiz Aguilar
Age: 18 years
Country: Mexico
Subject area: Gender and Indigenous peoples
Maribel Sántiz Aguilar belongs to the Chilolja community in the Municipality of San Juan Cancuc. In the discussion, she talked about the ways improper waste management and soil contamination have impacted her village’s harvests. She also highlighted the importance of promoting women’s rights, preserving native culture and languages, and engaging youth in environmental training programs.
“We want to live in peace with nature. We want to recover our culture.”
Discover how her work with One Equal Heart Foundation supports collaboration with Indigenous Peoples in Chiapas, Mexico, to spark leadership, build equity, and catalyze change.
Chibeze Ezekiel
Age: 42
Country: Ghana
Subject area: Climate action, renewable energy
Chibeze Ezekiel is a Ghanaian environmental activist and a 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize winner for Africa. At the GEF CSO Consultations, he shared how he worked with local communities in Ghana to oppose the construction of a coal power plant. As a result of Chibeze Ezekiel’s four-year grassroots campaign, the government prioritized investments in renewable energy instead.
"Economic development and clean, breathable air should not be mutually exclusive."
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Watch his TED talk about transitioning to sustainable energy in Africa.
Chibeze Ezekiel
Age: 42
Country: Ghana
Subject area: Climate action, renewable energy
Chibeze Ezekiel is a Ghanaian environmental activist and a 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize winner for Africa. At the GEF CSO Consultations, he shared how he worked with local communities in Ghana to oppose the construction of a coal power plant. As a result of Chibeze Ezekiel’s four-year grassroots campaign, the government prioritized investments in renewable energy instead.
"Economic development and clean, breathable air should not be mutually exclusive."
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Watch his TED talk about transitioning to sustainable energy in Africa.
Kiefer Jackson
Age: 28
Country: Guyana
Subject area: Sustainable development, climate justice, land degradation
Kiefer Jackson is national coordinator of Caribbean Youth Environment Network, a charitable body that focuses its resources on empowering young people and their communities to develop programs that address socio-economic and environmental issues. In the GEF CSO Consultations, she described her work building capacity for local environmental action and said it enables her to combine her legal qualifications with a passion for environmental protection.
“My generation and the ones after mine give me hope. I would consider us the most environmentally conscious and considerate compared to generations past.”
Follow her on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn
Learn more about the Caribbean Youth Environment Network’s efforts to promote sustainable development for generations to come.
Kiefer Jackson
Age: 28
Country: Guyana
Subject area: Sustainable development, climate justice, land degradation
Kiefer Jackson is national coordinator of Caribbean Youth Environment Network, a charitable body that focuses its resources on empowering young people and their communities to develop programs that address socio-economic and environmental issues. In the GEF CSO Consultations, she described her work building capacity for local environmental action and said it enables her to combine her legal qualifications with a passion for environmental protection.
“My generation and the ones after mine give me hope. I would consider us the most environmentally conscious and considerate compared to generations past.”
Follow her on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn
Learn more about the Caribbean Youth Environment Network’s efforts to promote sustainable development for generations to come.
Johnny Dabrowski
Age: 18
Country: Poland
Subject area: Climate education and literacy
Johnny Dabrowski, co-founder of the Net Zero School in Poland, discussed his work to promote climate literacy in Poland and other European countries. He said that learning about the impacts of climate change from a young age will ensure people have the information they need about law, climate justice, respect for nature, and active citizenship.
“We cannot change the world with the same approach that’s destroying it.”
Follow him on social media: Instagram
Johnny Dabrowski
Age: 18
Country: Poland
Subject area: Climate education and literacy
Johnny Dabrowski, co-founder of the Net Zero School in Poland, discussed his work to promote climate literacy in Poland and other European countries. He said that learning about the impacts of climate change from a young age will ensure people have the information they need about law, climate justice, respect for nature, and active citizenship.
“We cannot change the world with the same approach that’s destroying it.”
Derrick Emmanuel Mugisha
Age: 24
Country: Uganda
Subject area: Circular economy, gender equality, climate action
Derrick Mugisha, founder and CEO of Biodiversity Hub International, said his passion for environmental conservation grew from witnessing parcels of nature being destroyed and sold to developers. He highlighted the importance of storytelling to capture the full value of nature to a wide range of people, and called for greater access to climate education.
“Stop deciding our future without us.”
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Discover how Biodiversity Hub International uses education, public policy, advocacy, and the media to end biodiversity loss.
Derrick Emmanuel Mugisha
Age: 24
Country: Uganda
Subject area: Circular economy, gender equality, climate action
Derrick Mugisha, founder and CEO of Biodiversity Hub International, said his passion for environmental conservation grew from witnessing parcels of nature being destroyed and sold to developers. He highlighted the importance of storytelling to capture the full value of nature to a wide range of people, and called for greater access to climate education.
“Stop deciding our future without us.”
Follow him on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Discover how Biodiversity Hub International uses education, public policy, advocacy, and the media to end biodiversity loss.
Errachid Montassir
Age: 25
Country: Morocco
Subject area: Climate change, leadership
Errachid Montassir of Morocco, a project manager of the High Atlas Foundation, emphasized the need to involve young people and local communities in projects related to sustainable agriculture and waste management. Errachid said that inclusivity needs to be embedded along the entire chain of environmental projects— from design to implementation to assessment.
“Observing the long-term impact of the spread of knowledge and passion for climate action gives me hope for a better planet.”
Follow him on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn
Find out how the High Atlas Foundation promotes organic agriculture, women’s empowerment, and youth development in Morocco.
Errachid Montassir
Age: 25
Country: Morocco
Subject area: Climate change, leadership
Errachid Montassir of Morocco, a project manager of the High Atlas Foundation, emphasized the need to involve young people and local communities in projects related to sustainable agriculture and waste management. Errachid said that inclusivity needs to be embedded along the entire chain of environmental projects— from design to implementation to assessment.
“Observing the long-term impact of the spread of knowledge and passion for climate action gives me hope for a better planet.”
Follow him on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn
Find out how the High Atlas Foundation promotes organic agriculture, women’s empowerment, and youth development in Morocco.
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