While many of us have heard the name Greta Thunberg and know the story of the Swedish environmental activist well, it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn that there are actually quite a few young climate activists out there these days. Each of them is just as creative and passionate as Greta is, and they are all charting their own paths toward creating a world that is healthier for us all.
Here is a look at a few of the young people who are doing tremendous work toward climate justice.
Ridhima Pandey, India (14)
Ridhima is a 14-year-old from India who filed a lawsuit against the Indian government when she was only 9. Her complaint? The government wasn't doing enough to combat climate change. Fast-forward several years, and Ridhima is still a passionate climate activist. She is currently advocating for a ban on plastic in her home country.
Catarina Lorenzo, Brazil (15)
Catarina lives near the ocean in northeastern Brazil, and she spends a lot of time on the beaches close to her home. She currently works as a coordinator for the Brazilian chapter of the Green Kingdom, an intersectional environmental organization led by youth.
Ayakha Melithafa, South Africa (20)
Ayakha and her family live outside Cape Town, South Africa. She had a role in the YouLead initiative's Project 90 by 2030 and is a member of the African Climate Alliance's Youth Spokesteam. She strongly believes that the climate justice movement needs a wealth of diverse voices, telling the Daily Maverick in 2019, "It’s very important for poor people and people of colour to go to these protests and marches because they are feeling the wrath of climate change the most. It’s important for them to have a say, for their voice and their demands to be heard."
Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson, USA + England (18)
Elijah is the cofounder of Waic Up, a youth-led news organization that seeks to keep kids informed about the world around them. Elijah is also known for his involvement with Fridays For Future as well as some of the more drastic measures he has taken, such as his 2021 hunger strike against a proposed coal mine in West Cumbria.
Anjali Sharma, Australia (18)
When Anjali was 16 years old, she launched a lawsuit in the Australian Federal Court against the Australian government. She accused the government of failing to appropriately address and consider the impact of climate change. She continues to work in climate activism in the country.
Amy and Ella Meek, USA (18 and 16)
Amy and Ella Meek started the nonprofit Kids Against Plastic when they were 12 and 10 years old. Amy told Earth.org, "At first, we started off with picking up plastic litter we found wherever we went, from roadsides to beaches. We studied the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development and thought to ourselves: 'we need to do our bit'. We needed to help address the issue of single-use, convenient plastics by raising awareness of its harmful impacts, and help others reduce their use of them."
