As urban centres expand and environmental crises deepen, our cities face a reckoning. Enter a generation of young climate warriors from India who are advocating not just for change but for transformation, radically rethinking how we live, build, and interact with the environment.
With World Cities Day 2024 focusing on Youth Leading Climate and Local Action for Cities, it’s evident that the future of our urban spaces lies in the hands of those who are not only aware of the crisis but are actively shaping solutions for it. Their work authentically ties into the theme of World Cities Day 2024. This new generation, undeterred by political and social constraints, offers cities around the world a roadmap to sustainability that goes beyond profit-driven motives or surface-level solutions.
Soumya Biswal
Hailing from Odisha, 26-year-old Soumya Biswal is on a mission to restore India’s coastlines, one community at a time. His work spans over 200 coastal clean-up drives across India, often mobilising local residents and schools to join in and take ownership of their environment. Awarded the Odisha Youth Inspiration Award, his approach is a blend of pragmatic action and relentless advocacy, calling for policies that protect shorelines and reduce plastic waste. As cities grow and coastlines are strained by pollution, Soumya's work brings attention to the urgent need for cities to connect their urbanization efforts with natural conservation practices.
Aditya Mukarji
At just 20 years old, Aditya Mukarji’s journey against plastic pollution began with a single question: Why straws? Observing the ubiquitous presence of plastic straws, he initiated a powerful campaign that would ultimately rid over 50 restaurants in Delhi of plastic straws and cutlery, replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives.
Aditya's work has attracted widespread recognition, including the UNSDG Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals Award. His journey didn’t stop at straws. Today, he works to spread awareness on single-use plastic alternatives and the urgent need for policy shifts, encouraging cities to adopt bans and rethink plastic dependencies. In his vision, sustainable cities steer away from disposable convenience toward long-term environmental solutions.
Disha Ravi
Disha Ravi emerged as one of India’s most compelling voices in the climate justice movement, co-founding Fridays For Future India, a youth-led organisation inspired by Greta Thunberg’s international campaign. The 26-year-old’s work challenges not only environmental norms but the entire paradigm of how society views climate activism. Disha's advocacy goes beyond typical environmental campaigns. She argues that sustainable urban planning must account for those most vulnerable to climate impacts. Arrested briefly for her activism, she became an international symbol of youth resilience and the urgency of climate justice in democratic discourse. Ravi’s work has reached the corridors of the United Nations.