The climate movement has historically lacked the intersectional, cross-racial, multigenerational coalition of decision makers required to successfully transition to an equitable and just climate future—a future where all communities enjoy clean air, water, and soil and have access to renewable energy, nutritious food, clean transportation, and high-paying green jobs. This history comes into focus this week as COP28, the United Nations’ annual global climate conference, continues.
Throughout the two-week long COP28, government officials, industry stakeholders, and climate activists from across the world will come together in Dubai to make huge decisions about our climate and our future. The decisions made at this conference will disproportionately impact young people and future generations. We already know that young people face alarming levels of “eco-anxiety” with 59% of them feeling “very or extremely worried about climate change,” according to CBS News. Yet, young people—particularly young people of color and frontline community members—have traditionally been left out of these decision-making processes or given only a performative seat at the table without an authentic commitment to listen to their needs and demands.
In the past few years, COP has made some effort to include the youth movement in its proceedings—from the creation of the Youth Climate Champion role to the first ever Youth and Climate Pavilion last year. But this is really just a start. Young people are leaders. They are founding organizations, turning out voters, and demanding climate action now. They are challenging the status quo and building power for communities. And on Election Day 2024, Gen Z and Millennials are expected to make up 40% of votes, according to Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics.
These are the young leaders Moms are watching at COP28. Together, they embody the future of the climate movement.
1. Vanessa Nakate (age 27, Kampala, Uganda)
Vanessa founded Rise up Movement which aims to amplify the voices of activists from Africa. She was one of 20 young activists who penned an open letter to the World Economic Forum in 2020 to call on stakeholders to immediately stop subsidizing fossil fuels. She was also named a Young Leader for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2020, recognized in 2021’s TIME100 Next, and appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2022.
Alongside very few other young people, Vanessa first spoke at COP25. She will speak across the conference this year. Follow Vanessa on X (formerly Twitter).(Photo from Vanessa Nakate’s X profile.)
“Show us your trustworthiness. Show us your honesty. I am here to say: Prove us wrong.”
—Vanessa sharing youths’ weariness over empty climate promises at COP26
2. Xiye Bastida (age 21, Atlacomulco, Mexico)
Xiye co-founded the Re-Earth Initiative, an international organization focused on the intersection of the climate crisis and social and environmental injustice. She is part of the Otomi-Toltec Nation in the highlands of Central Mexico and immigrated to New York City in 2015. She began organizing for Fridays for Future NYC in 2019. She wrote an essay featured in All We Can Save and was recognized in 2023’s TIME100 Next.
She is at COP this year as a Global Ambassador for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Follow Xiye on Instagram. (Photo from Xiye Bastida’s X profile.)
“It’s true that a lot of times, there are no spaces for us [young people] at the table to share our voices and opinions. And if you can’t find a seat at the table, just build your own table. You will make an impact because the youth always do.”
—Xiye in an interview with GreenBiz
3. Isaias Hernandez (Los Angeles, California)
Isaias founded the independent media platform Queer Brown Vegan, which seeks to make intersectional environmental literacy accessible to a wide audience. They also collaborate with other climate leaders on the independent education web series Teaching Climate Together. They are working to fill a gap they experienced in their childhood, living in a neighborhood of Los Angeles impacted by pollution, a lack of nutritious food, and economic disparity.
At COP28, Isaias will speak on several panels from the intersection of queerness and climate to media advocacy. Follow Isaias on Instagram. (Photo from Isaias Hernandez’s Instagram profile.)
“Time is running out. The choices world leaders make today will determine what kind of world we’ll live in tomorrow. The future is now.”
—Isaias in a Tweet just before COP
4. Bodhi Patil (age 21, Vancouver, Canada)
Bodhi co-created Ocean Uprise, an international activist community committed to educating others about ocean pollution and finding creative solutions. He developed a deep affinity for the ocean during his childhood in Indonesia and remains committed to helping others explore the connection between human health and ocean health. He has been recognized by the United Nations as an esteemed young ocean leader.
He is part of the Indigenous Wisdom Keepers delegation at COP28 and will speak on a number of panels focused on oceans. Follow Bodhi on Instagram. (Photo from Bodhi Patil’s Instagram profile.)
“My focus is on addressing the need for intergenerational collaboration and the capability of young people in decision-making spaces. This approach combines the knowledge and experience of adults with the tenacity and passion of youth.”
—Bodhi in an interview with OCIN.
5. Elise Joshi (age 21, Berkeley, California)
Elise serves as Executive Director of Gen-Z for Change, a group of young activists who use thoughtful social media campaigns to advance their vision for a better future. Her particular interest is in climate justice. She spends her time advocating for a transition away from an oil and gas-dependent economy and toward distributed solar and wind power, affordable zero-carbon housing, walkable cities, the expansion of green spaces, and intersectional climate education in schools.
She is at COP this year to “learn what frontline organizers from all over the world are asking of the US gov & US allies.” Follow Elise Joshi’s journey at COP on X (formerly Twitter). (Photo from Elise Joshi’s X profile.)
“We see what’s happening with climate change, and how it affects everything else. We’re [young people] are experiencing a mix of anger and fear, and we’re finally channeling it into hope into the form of collective action.”
—Elise in the New York Times
We would be remiss not to highlight one other young leader: Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, our National Events Coordinator. Danielle is at COP28 representing both our team at Moms and her own organization Nature Now International, which empowers young people to take action on climate through nature conservation. Danielle has been active across the conference and witnessed EPA Administrator Michael Regan announce monumental methane protections that Moms has been advocating for for over a decade.
Each of these six young leaders has a powerful, unwavering, and inspirational voice. Keep an eye on them. They are of a generation with the tenacity to demand immediate climate action and the radical hope that a climate-safe future is possible. We need them at the table with us, fighting for our collective future and ensuring they see climate justice within their lifetime.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND ACCESS TO CLIMATE EDUCATION