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.
Ridhima Pandey
Few 11-year-olds would imagine themselves challenging governments in court, but Ridhima Pandey did exactly that. Ridhima filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the Indian government, arguing that its inadequate environmental policies were violating her right to a healthy future. Her petition called for stronger climate action. Her work has resonated on a global level. Pandey was among 16 children (including Greta Thunberg) to submit a landmark complaint to the United Nations in 2019, accusing several nations of failing to address the climate crisis. Now 16, Ridhima continues her work with the same zeal.
Eiha Dixit
At just 11 years old, Eiha Dixit from Uttar Pradesh has displayed her dedication to reforestation. In collaboration with the Hara Jeevan initiative, Eiha has spearheaded tree-planting drives across her region, personally planting over 10,000 trees. Her passion for conservation has led her to educate others, inspiring schools and local groups to adopt tree-planting initiatives as a regular practice rather than a one-time act.
Her work has garnered praise from environmental organizations and has led to her recognition as one of India’s youngest climate advocates. Eiha’s vision is clear: a green India with cities and towns that honour their natural landscapes rather than replace them.
Prasiddhi Singh
At 12 years of age, Prasiddhi Singh is considered one of India’s youngest and most proactive environmental activists. Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Prasiddhi is the founder of the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation. She is creating miniature forests planted across public spaces, schools, and communities to enhance biodiversity and provide green lungs for urban areas.
Prasiddhi’s foundation has been responsible for planting over 100,000 trees across India. She was honoured with the Prime Minister’s Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, India’s highest civilian award for children. Prasiddhi often works with local schools, encouraging students and teachers to join her mission.
These Gen Z and Gen Alpha climate activists are envisioning cities that do not exploit but protect, that do not isolate but connect, and that do not destroy but sustain. These young activists embody what it means to take local action with global repercussions. Their achievements and ambitions underline that a sustainable urban future cannot rest on isolated policies or projects. Instead, it requires a new mindset in which each city considers the long-term consequences of its decisions, from urban planning to waste management to energy generation.
