How to make climate policy work for young people

By Veena Balakrishnan and Thales Dantas, co-chairs, #GenerationRestoration Youth Hub. All photos courtesy of the respective authors and interviewees.

The climate crisis is here – but it’s not affecting all of us equally.

In its most recent report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that human-induced climate change is disproportionately affecting those with the least capacity to adapt, such as small island nations, low-income populations and Indigenous Peoples.

For instance, although small island developing states contribute less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, they are among the most affected by rising sea levels, which are projected to displace up to 280 million people globally by 2100.

Rising sea levels, extreme weather events and biodiversity loss are just a few of the effects we are witnessing. But the climate crisis is also taking a heavy emotional toll on young people, who will bear the brunt of these impacts.

Just over half the world’s population is under the age of 30, yet their voices are often sidelined in policy discussions. Young people are often excluded from global climate conferences and other decision-making platforms, which further marginalizes their participation.

At the same time, many young activists have struggled to gain credibility and are often overlooked simply due to their age. This systemic discrimination prevents fresh perspectives and innovative solutions from being brought to the table.

We must recognize and amplify the contributions of young environmental activists, who are at the forefront of advocating for sustainable policies and practices. Young leaders are driving innovative solutions and, above all else, are most likely to demand accountability from decision makers – making it all the more important that their voices are heard.

Youth stepping up to the stage

We are Veena Balakrishnan and Thales Dantas, and we’re the co-chairs of the #GenerationRestoration Youth Hub, a diverse and growing global community that brings together youth leaders and practitioners across different fields and industries in support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Co-convened by 1t.org at the World Economic Forum and the GLF’s Youth in Landscapes Initiative, the Youth Hub aims to foster collaboration, shared action and learning to accelerate the global youth-led restoration movement.

As co-chairs, we convene members, provide collective resources and lead discussions, facilitate collaboration and promote the Youth Hub through our networks. We also provide individual support to members when required, and we represent and support the Youth Hub at international events, helping to amplify the voices of young leaders on the global stage.

Veena began her journey in a small town in India. Fascinated by international environmental policy since she was a young girl, she has juggled multiple roles as a social worker, entrepreneur, student and now a key figure in enabling youth leadership at UN climate and land negotiations. She also co-founded the Youth Negotiators Academy (YNA), which trains young people to become diplomats and negotiators at multilateral environmental negotiations.

Thales was born and raised in Brazil, growing up with a deep connection to nature and a passion for science. He has served as a consultant, researcher and even a martial arts trainer, and today, he balances his roles as a project manager and a foundation board member at the Global Shapers Community, a network created by the World Economic Forum.

We are not the only young leaders and activists who must balance our activism with personal and professional obligations. Along with hordes of other young activists, we have experienced the struggles of burnout and balancing our passions with our professions.

The burden of burnout

To better understand these challenges, we interviewed young leaders from across the globe. Their stories were equal parts sweet and heartbreaking: as much as they strive for justice, they’ve also struggled with their mental health in the process.

“Balancing activism and policy work with other life areas is challenging, especially since we wear many hats,” says Lea Zgheib, an environmental consultant and project coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Lebanon.

Lea’s work involves not only technical assessments and project coordination but also intense negotiation efforts, such as preparing Lebanon’s Biennial Transparency Report and updating Nationally Determined Contributions.

Moments of inevitable burnout occur, particularly due to the workload.

Lea Zgheib (32), UNDP Lebanon

Burnout often manifests itself as chronic stress, anxiety and a sense of being overwhelmed. For Zoungrana Nouhou, an environmental safeguard officer at the Great Green Wall in Burkina Faso, reconciling a full-time job with voluntary activism is no easy task.

“Two or three times, I’ve had burnout, which has made me ill and generally tired,” he recalls. “Once I had to finish reports at work, coordinate a youth workshop, prepare a conference and go out into the field to facilitate reforestation efforts.

“It was all too much, and I was lost, not knowing what to do next.”

Reconciling a full-time job as a political decision maker with voluntary work as a climate activist is no easy task.

Zoungrana Nouhou (28), Great Green Wall, Burkina Faso

“I have had several moments when I felt overwhelmed by the demands and the level of exposure,” says Rocío Chinellato, coordinator of the gender department at the University of Córdoba in Argentina.

“This made me reconsider whether I wanted to continue on this path for a long time. Particularly after the [COVID-19] pandemic, I experienced immense stress fulfilling these roles and living through those challenging times.”

In politics, the importance of respecting personal responsibilities and needs is often overlooked.

Rocío Chinellato (32), University of Córdoba, Argentina

Ashleigh Streeter-Jones, founder of Raise Our Voice Australia (ROVA), has been through endless periods of burnout.

“I absolutely love the work I do with ROVA, but it’s a challenge to balance building a startup not-for-profit and a day job,” she reflects.

“I constantly feel like I’m dropping the ball on something, whether it’s paid work, unpaid work, my friends, my partner, my family or my health.”

Given my poor balance, I am constantly in a cycle of burnout. Right now, I am on burnout leave from work.

Ashleigh Streeter-Jones (30), Raise Our Voice Australia

“Working as an activist and with policymakers is challenging, and it isn’t easy to balance work with personal life,” says Evelyn Addor, the focal person for climate change at EcoCare Ghana.

“It involves traveling for weeks and spending late nights reading policy documents, developing campaigns, attending meetings, and visiting communities for education and mobilization.”

After attending COP28 in Dubai, I fell ill due to stress and exhaustion. Doctors advised me to take time off work to recover.

Evelyn Addor (33), EcoCare Ghana

Young leaders often push themselves to their limits, even at significant personal cost. Veena’s academy trains young leaders for climate negotiations through the Climate Youth Negotiator Programme (CYNP), which also offers community and well-being support as part of this training

Zgheib, who is a CYNP alumna, says this support network has been a lifeline at times.

“At COP28, the overwhelming adaptation work was taxing for everyone involved,” she recalls. “The camaraderie and understanding from colleagues facing similar challenges were crucial.”

But burnout isn’t just about being busy: it’s also about the relentless pressure and emotional weight that comes with fighting for systemic change.

“I often discuss with friends who share similar challenges balancing personal life and activism,” says Chinellato. “Establishing boundaries within my organization has been crucial for my well-being.”

Many young activists find themselves in a continuous loop of burnout and recovery. Some strategies to manage burnout include setting clear boundaries, prioritizing tasks and seeking support from peers and mentors.

“Taking a period of leave and unplugging from work was essential for my recovery,” says Streeter-Jones. “Regular exercise, a changed diet and learning to say no to non-priority tasks have helped me manage better.”

By sharing their personal experiences, these young leaders underscore the importance of systemic support for mental health and well-being. It’s crucial that we ensure that young activists have access to resources and a supportive community to enable them to sustain their efforts in the long term.

Engaging the future

These stories paint a picture of passion, resilience and the reality of the toll it takes on the lives of young environmental activists and entrepreneurs.

As we reflect on these experiences, we must ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions: Why is this happening? Why does our society perpetuate an age bias that sidelines the very generations that will inherit the consequences of our environmental decisions today?

Why should young people, already burdened with the weight of a climate crisis they didn’t create, have to struggle so hard to have their voices heard and valued?

Our systems and society are structured in a way that inherently deters young people from participating in critical environmental discussions and policymaking.

It’s time that we critically examined these structures and biases. Are we truly serving the best interests of our planet and future generations by maintaining the status quo – or must we reimagine environmental leadership and decision making in a way that works for young people?