Ayan Bhakta is a 17-year-old high school student from Arizona with strong interests in public health, sustainability, and business. He serves on the global committee of the Children and Youth Major Group (CYMG) to the UN Environment Programme, where he helps propose solutions for public health and environmental challenges worldwide. Alongside this, he has written a novel on environmental sustainability and nature with the goal of expanding environmental education among young people. Through partnerships with local non-profits, this project has distributed hundreds of copies to underserved children, helping make environmental knowledge more accessible. His mission is to inspire other young individuals to learn more and to do more in the environmental space through the means of innovation and advocacy.

He was also selected as a delegate to LCOY, a youth environmental conference, where he proposed circular economy adaptation policies. Through LCOY, he has met numerous individuals involved in the sustainable development space, further inspiring his efforts to expand his book and solar projects. Beyond his environmental work, Ayan is recognized as a leader and innovator in his school and community. He leads his school’s FBLA chapter, serves as a district ambassador, and has competed as a DECA International finalist multiple times. These roles highlight his ability to bridge sustainability with business knowledge, encouraging peers to think about real-world problem solving. His involvement in both local initiatives and global platforms reflects a unique combination of civic responsibility and entrepreneurial drive.

Overall, Ayan continues to expand his impact through projects and leadership roles that bring together youth, education, and sustainability. He aims to keep inspiring others his age to contribute to solutions that strengthen communities and protect the environment.

Like, and share to support January’s Young Planet Leader Ayan Bhakta.

Follow Ayan’s work with the following organizations:

Book: https://tinyurl.com/3cpwd54m 

CYMG Website: https://www.cymgenv.net

Bernice Deng is a high school student, environmental advocate, and speaker committed to advancing youth-led climate solutions. Her passion for environmentalism began in 6th grade during a climate change unit—an interest that intensified as she witnessed the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis. Since then, she has dedicated herself to creating meaningful change locally and globally, earning recognition from SDGs Today, the National Trails Workshop, The Nature Conservancy, and other international platforms.

At Inspirate Earth, Bernice leads a team focused on reimagining climate education through accessible resources, workshops, and policy initiatives. Educational materials she helped develop were featured in The Nature Conservancy’s Youth Climate Action Toolkit. She also collaborated with Columbia University’s CIPHER and The Climate Club to design a climate education course that introduces students to climate science, sustainability, and environmental justice.

As Director of People Operations at Climate Cardinals, the world’s largest youth-led climate organization, Bernice manages a core team of more than 100 young leaders. Climate Cardinals works to build capacity for youth and for the 6.5 billion non-English speakers worldwide by translating climate information into 105 languages, supporting grassroots education, and developing multilingual climate action campaigns. Bernice oversees recruitment, internal programming, and team engagement for their 16,000 volunteers across 134 countries.

Bernice also has a strong academic interest in environmental science, particularly geology. She conducted research at USC on deformation, shear zones, and geological processes, and independently studies plastic pollution—specifically nurdles, the small plastic pellets used in manufacturing. Using machine learning, she hopes to predict ocean-based nurdle spills. Her advocacy inspired the launch of No Nurdles, a campaign dedicated to preventing pellet spills; through her Instagram account @nonurdles, she shares hand-drawn educational infographics to raise public awareness.

Driven, curious, and unwavering in her commitment to the planet, Bernice continues to champion innovative climate solutions—on land, at sea, and within her community.

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Follow Bernice’s work:

Instagram: @bernicedeng
Inspirate Earth’s Website: https://inspirateemail.wixsite.com/inspirate
No Nurdles’ Instagram: @nonurdles
Climate Cardinals’ Website: https://www.climatecardinals.org/

Sebastião Mendonça is a Portuguese innovator using robotics and space-tech to restore ecosystems. He co-founded Trovador, a robotics-for-reforestation startup building the world’s first all-terrain autonomous tree-planting robots. This work earned him multiple accolades, including the Leadership in Robotics for Sustainability award, and invitations to speak in over ten countries across four continents.

Beyond Trovador, he explores how satellite data can steer ecological recovery, from creating an internationally recognized tool to optimize post-fire forest restoration to contributing to CubeSat and rocket projects. A former international STEM Olympian and zero-gravity flyer, he also helps capacitate and spark curiosity in underserved youth through hands-on educational programs. 

Like, and share to support October’s Young Planet Leader Sebastião Mendonça.

View Sebastião’s VIdeo:

youtube.com/shorts/BnrBSji0szU?time_continue=4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fyoungplanetleaders.org%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE

Follow Sebastião’s work:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiaomendonca

https://www.instagram.com/sebastiaommendonca

https://www.instagram.com/trovador.eu

Nate Wilbourne is a New Zealand-based youth and environmental advocate, speaker, and changemaker dedicated to protecting the planet and inspiring action. At just 17, he has spoken across the globe in 3 continents, in countries including the United Arab of Emirates & Germany, addressing over 25,000 people.

A 2025 Semi-Finalist for Young New Zealander of the Year, Nate is recognised for his work in environmental advocacy, digital activism, and youth empowerment. He has collaborated with global organizations, led workshops, and used social media to drive impact, believing that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for change.

At the heart of Nate’s mission is a commitment to empowering young people across the globe to take action within their own communities. He believes that real change starts at a grassroots level, with individuals standing up for the issues they care about. Through his work, he strives to equip the next generation with the confidence, tools, and networks they need to drive meaningful impact, because the future belongs to those who dare to shape it. 

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Follow Nate’s work:

www.natewilbourne.com 

LinkedIn 

Wikipedia

Instagram

Eve Ang is a 17-year-old globally recognized youth leader in ethical and sustainable precision medicine from Saint Joseph’s Institution, Singapore. She leads international collaborations in precision oncology by uniting hundreds of youth innovators from over 45 countries to co-create socially responsible AI healthcare solutions.

Inspired by her mother’s battle with late-stage breast cancer, Eve founded Immunova AI as a non-profit organisation dedicated to earlier treatment decision and intervention support faster, more affordable, and more reliable for all. Currently in beta testing with partner labs at Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, and the University of Bergen, Immunova’s flagship multimodal platform has shown promising improvements in diagnostic accuracy, cost reductions, and treatment efficiency.

Through her leadership, Immunova AI has secured over US$10,000 in funding and gained recognition from organisations such as MICCAI, the Paris Collaborative and SuperAI. Eve has been invited to speak at platforms including Harvard OpenBio’s Revolutionizing Life Conference and Science Summit 2025 alongside the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly. Her pioneering work and advocacy for responsible innovation in precision oncology has earned her recognition as a Moonshot Young Leader, beVisioneers: Mercedes-Benz Fellow, Singapore Girls In Tech Honoree and National Young Leaders Fellow.

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Follow Eve’s work:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/immunova.ai?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eveayl/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immunovaai/

Catarina Lorenzo is a global child rights and environmental advocate, and an 18-year-old professional big wave surfer from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. At just 12 years old, she presented the groundbreaking “Children vs. Climate Crisis” petition at the United Nations, joining Greta Thunberg, Alexandria Villaseñor, Ayakha Melithafa, and 11 other youth from around the world to demand urgent action on climate change as a matter of children’s rights. Since then, Catarina has become a prominent voice in the global youth climate movement.

She currently serves as a Global Youth Leader at Heirs to Our Ocean, a Fellow of the Nature Fellowship at Instituto Alana, and a UNICEF Youth Advocate. She is also an alumna of both the High Seas Youth Ambassador Program and the Child Advisory Team at Child Rights Connect.

In addition to her international advocacy, Catarina is deeply engaged in grassroots organizing in Brazil. She is the co-founder of the S.O.S Vale Encantado collective and the founder of Eco Club Sustentare, a youth-led initiative focused on environmental education, sustainability, and innovation. Through both global platforms and local action, Catarina continues to inspire and mobilize a generation of young changemakers.

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Follow Catarina’s work:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/catarina_lorenzo/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catarina-lorenzo-382747300/?originalSubdomain=br

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catarina_Lorenzo

Eco Club Sustenare: https://www.instagram.com/eco_club_sustentare/?hl=en

Flossie Donnelly is an 18-year-old climate activist and marine environmentalist from South Dublin, Ireland. Passionate about protecting the ocean since childhood, she began cleaning local beaches at just 8 years old and founded her own environmental charity, Flossie & The Beach Cleaners, at age 11. The group raises awareness about marine pollution and empowers young people to take action against climate change. Collectively, they have collected over 14,700 kg of waste with the help of thousands of volunteers in hundreds of official clean ups. 

Flossie is a tireless advocate for ocean health and climate justice. She regularly leads beach cleanups along the Dún Laoghaire and Sandycove coastline and participates in school strikes for climate outside her school and the Dáil. In 2018, she raised €4,000 to bring Ireland’s first seabins—devices capable of removing up to 83,000 plastic bags or 20,000 plastic bottles per year from the sea—into operation.

That same year, she led Ireland’s only March for the Ocean on World Oceans Day and took the stage at TEDx Dún Laoghaire to speak about youth-led environmental action. In 2019, RTÉjr documented her journey to Indonesia’s heavily polluted Citarum River in My Story: The Beach Cleaner, highlighting her work and connecting Irish youth with global environmental challenges.

Flossie believes that protecting our oceans—covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface—is key to fighting climate change, and she brings unwavering positivity to her activism.

LIKE, COMMENT AND SHARE TO  SUPPORT FLOSSIE’S MISSION!

Follow Flossie’s work:

https://flossieandthebeachcleaners.com/

https://www.instagram.com/flossieandthebeachcleaners/?hl=en

Prasiddhi Singh is a 12-year-old internationally recognized climate advocate, environmentalist, and social entrepreneur from India. She was one of the youngest speakers at COP28 and represented Gen Alpha as the youngest head of delegation at COP29, leading her UN-accredited NGO, the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Wikipedia, TED.com, UNDESA, Economic Times, WWF, CNBC, CNN, Harper’s Bazaar, National Geographic, and more. She has also been showcased by Cartoon Network Warner Bros, and is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Prime Minister’s National Child Award, the Diana Award, and the Global Child Prodigy Award.

Prasiddhi has spearheaded impactful, nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis, including the plantation of over 150,000 trees across 110+ locations, the restoration of mangroves and lakes, biodiversity conservation initiatives, and the facilitation of over 1,000 workshops that have empowered more than 80,000 farmers, rural children, and communities. She actively promotes sustainable resource management and climate education. Prasiddhi has spoken on global platforms alongside leaders such as the UN Climate Change Head and the President of the UN General Assembly, advocating for climate action and nature-based solutions. She collaborates with organizations including UNDESA, UNFCCC, UNICEF, and government ministries in India and Brazil to implement meaningful climate projects.

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Follow Prasiddhi’s work:

https://linktr.ee/prasiddhisingh?utm_source=linktree

M. Rizki Syahrul Mubarok is an educator, changemaker, and environmental and gender activist working to transform lives through philosophy and education. With nine years of experience in education, he has dedicated himself to closing economic and academic gaps in his hometown, Tulang Bawang, Indonesia, and beyond.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Al Iman Foundation, Rizki leads efforts to provide free resources and scholarships to students across Indonesia. Under his leadership, the foundation secured $6,500 in 2024, and in 2025, it has already helped 41 individuals receive scholarships. His passion for education and career consulting has helped hundreds of people toward better opportunities and higher education. 

To bridge the gap between education and employment, Rizki formed strategic partnerships with national universities like Universitas Indonesia, Akademi Prestasi Agung and Nusadaya Academy, and international institutions such as Open University Malaysia, facilitating job placements and enabling students to study both nationally and internationally. He also founded a pre-work/university program under Al Iman Foundation, helping hundreds of people annually gain admission and secure scholarships in top universities, and obtain jobs to battle unemployment in Indonesia. 

His deep love for philosophy shapes his approach to education and advocacy, inspiring transformative change in his community. His undergraduate thesis on gender justice reflects his commitment to tackling systemic inequalities and pushing for inclusive education. Through his relentless efforts in education, social justice, and environmental advocacy, Rizki seeks to empower young minds, striving for a future where education is a right, not a privilege.

Like, and share to support May’s Young Planet Leader M. Rizki Syahrul Mubarok.

Follow Rizki’s work:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrizkisyahrul

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_earthlycomfort

Al Iman Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/aliman.foundation

Julia Bae is a high school senior at The Winsor School in Boston. She is a head of Spring Forward Climate, an intern at the MIT Climate Action Through Education (CATE) initiative, and a member of the Massachusetts Youth Climate Coalition (MYCC).

At Spring Forward, Julia has run numerous climate education workshops for elementary and middle-school students. She has also spoken at events such as the 2023 North American Association of Environmental Education Conference and The Boston Globe’s “Climate Stewardship in Gen Alpha” Panel for her work at Spring Forward.

With MIT CATE, Julia assisted in the development of interdisciplinary climate curriculum across Math, Science, English, and History subjects. She has also attended various climate justice rallies in the Boston area, met with state legislators, and testified for climate legislation at the Massachusetts State House.

Julia is a dynamic leader and passionate innovator, serving as the Robotics Club Head, Executive Editor of the The Banner, Founder and Head of TEDxWinsor Club, Head of the Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship Club, Head of the Baldwin Tutoring Club, Varsity Tennis Captain, Lead Admissions Ambassador, and a dedicated Math and Science Peer Tutor.

Like and Share the video below to support the amazing work Julia is doing.

Follow Julia’s work:

Spring Forward Climate: https://www.springforwardclimate.org/

MIT CATE: https://cate.mit.edu/

MYCC: https://www.instagram.com/mayouthclimatecoalition/

Research: https://nhsjs.com/2024/examining-the-economic-effects-of-non-fossil-energy-policies-in-india/

Anirudh Rao is a 12-year-old innovator and environmental activist from Lone Tree, Colorado, recognized for his groundbreaking work in early tornado detection systems. After witnessing a friend’s home destroyed by a tornado, Anirudh was inspired to develop “Revere,” an early warning app that extends evacuation time from 15 to 45 minutes, significantly enhancing community safety.

His dedication to environmental innovation has earned him prestigious accolades, including the Paradigm Challenge World Winner, National STEM Champion, International Eco-Hero Award from Action for Nature, and the True Little Hero International Award for community service and innovation. Anirudh’s commitment to education is evident through his workshops, where he has engaged over 4,000 students in topics ranging from 3D printing and beginner AI to exploring the myths, traditions, and biodiversity of various cultures.

In addition to his technological pursuits, Anirudh collaborates with the Children’s Kindness Network, organizing global essay and art contests to promote kindness toward people and the environment. His remarkable achievements have been featured on platforms like “The Jennifer Hudson Show,”  and “NBC Nightly news-Kids edition” where he shared his innovative solutions and inspired audiences worldwide.

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Follow Anirudh’s work:

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/anirudh-rao

Sahithi Radha is a 17-year-old grassroots organizer and international advocate for gender and climate. Built on five years of local activism in South India, supporting sanitation workers, E-Waste management drives, and writing climate reports. Now, she is a member of International Advisory Boards and Networks like Teach The Future and UNWomen’s 30 for 2030.

She founded E-Cycl, an e-waste recycling initiative. This initiative is a nationally recreated circular economy system involving recycling, awareness through hundreds of youth, protecting sanitation workers, and reforming public policy. She also founded Project Anusha, a grief management curriculum for pediatric leukemia patients. Through enrichment sessions, she worked with 100 children, hoping to bridge their lost education.

Collaborating with The United Nations on forums like the breakthrough GirlsGoGreen Summit and EmPower Lab, she’s a public speaker working with 15 MNCs conducting Entrepreneurship, Climate Education & Queer Identity Workshops, and a TEDx Talk.

Globally awarded, in a documentary at the Guggenheim, Meta’s 25 under 25, International Young Voices by UNESCO, Ashoka’s top 10 changemakers, Women of the Future’s Rising Star in ESG, and as India’s Top Social Changemaker. Media coverage in over 100 publications.

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Follow Sahithi’s work:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahithiradhakonatham/

Personal Site: www.sahithiradha.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ecyclindia/

Mohamed is an 18-year-old researcher, entrepreneur, and student at the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in South Africa. Dedicating his life to closing socioeconomic gaps, he relentlessly helped those who faced challenges similar to his. He fully realizes that he couldn’t have done any of that without freely accessible resources, which he is deeply grateful for. For that, he also aims to create and propagate free resources for everyone in need throughout his fields of interest: education, biological and climate research, and computer science.

Mohamed sees education as the foundation for uplifting nations, which drives his commitment to bridging language barriers. He is the founder and CEO of Ebhath, teaching scientific research in Arabic and publishing courses in Swahili. Further, Mohamed serves as the COO at ClosingTheDivide, an organization committed to closing gaps in access to technology and technology education. The team has raised over $300,000 and donated 1,700 desktop computers across 29 countries, while offering courses in English (US chapter), Arabic (Egyptian chapter), and Amharic (Ethiopian chapter). Given Mohamed’s coding experience in Python, JavaScript, and C++, he served as an assistant in the Hack Club chapter at his previous school and is now using this experience to develop technical courses at CTD.

Mohamed believes in research’s potential to solve our greatest challenges. As a climate activist, he recognizes that among the youth’s greatest potential contributions, especially for climate and sustainability activists, is conducting impactful empirical research that addresses real-world problems. He has completed more than four research projects in sustainability and climate science, which have been either published in research journals or presented at conferences. In neuroscience, Mohamed has also demonstrated considerable expertise through his research endeavors. In February, his abstract was selected from among more than 1,200 submissions for presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society conference in New York City. In this study, Mohamed served as the first author, collaborating with co-authors from Stanford, Rice, and Columbia University.

Mohamed’s achievements have earned him notable recognition, including being named a Rise Global Winner and achieving national runner-up finalist status in the Neuroscience Brain Bee.

Like, and share to support January’s Young Planet Leader Mohamed Moussa.

Follow Mohamed’s work:

Ebhath: https://ebhath.org/ 

ClosingTheDivide: https://www.closingthedivide.foundation/the-team 

International Neurospcyhological Society (INS) Conference Abstract: https://the-ins.org/meetings/new-york-2024/program/entry/31444/?gvid=34626 

Mohamed’s Rise Global Winner Feature: https://www.risefortheworld.org/winners/mohamed-ibrahim-mashhour-abdelghani-moussa 

Egypt2USA Community: https://discord.gg/mNFtJ5vZV6

Social Media Links: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedabdulghani 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohamedmashhour1/ 

Tariq Lawal is an emerging entrepreneur and multifaceted creative from Lagos, Nigeria. A passionate advocate for people and the planet, he develops solutions to urgent problems of the 21st century. From the triple planetary crisis to societal inequalities, Tariq uses art, storytelling, and youth engagement to drive action. His advocacy began at the age of thirteen, when he wrote poems and fiction and designed graphics to highlight issues close to his heart. Over time, he grew bolder and embraced being what activist Bayard Rustin called an “angelic troublemaker.”

In 2023, Tariq took to the streets of Lagos Island to raise awareness about social and environmental issues. His public demonstration was featured by UNICEF during COP28. Since then, he has worked to spark awareness about overlooked issues and mobilize people to take meaningful action for the planet and its inhabitants. Through his Lagos Island Literacy Project, he promotes diverse literacies, including environmental and civic literacy, and fosters global citizenship and a love for nature among underserved children and youth in his community. He believes young people play an essential role in preserving the planet, so they must feel empowered to do so.

Recognized as one of Africa’s most globally awarded teenagers, he has received the Diana Award, the American Anthropological Association’s Junior Anthropologist Award, the Louis Anderson and Vincent Martinez World Citizenship Award, and an award from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for his involvement in the #BeWildForNature campaign, among other honors.

In 2024, Tariq won the #BeWildForNature Competition for his app concept, iConserve (now called Let’s Conserve), becoming the first young person from Lagos Island to win a United Nations–hosted competition. He was also a finalist for the $12,500 African Earth Prize and received an honorable mention from National Geographic for placing among the top fifty entries out of 2,700 submissions from teenagers in 96 countries in the Slingshot Challenge. He also placed third in the 16–18 category of the Greening Lagos Competition. His creativity has earned recognition from Global Citizen as one of their 2024 Emerging Creatives. He won the American Sociological Association’s Student Video Contest and became the first African runner-up of the annual photography competition for secondary school students organized by the University of Cambridge’s Department of Sociology.

Tariq is currently serving on the Youth Board for The Earth Prize, an annual competition for young people with ideas and solutions that can tackle urgent environmental challenges, convened by The Earth Foundation. He has also served as an advisor for World Ocean Day and TikTok and a Young Influencer for UNICEF Nigeria.

Like, and share to support December’s Young Planet Leader Tariq Lawal.

Follow Tariq’s work:

https://www.instagram.com/outerspacetariq

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariq-lawal

https://www.unodc.org/conig/en/stories/18-years-old-tariq-lawal-emerges-winner-of-unodcs-bewildfornature-wildlife-sensitisation-campaign-and-competition.html

https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/stories/tariqs-climate-awakening

Licypriya Kangujam has been recognized for her efforts in raising awareness about climate change and its impact on the planet. She has been actively involved in the global climate change movement, campaigning for causes such as air pollution, climate education, and plastic waste reduction. She has frequently confronted world leaders on climate justice and demanded compensation for the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis to the Global South. She is also known for her "Child Movement" campaign, which aims to empower children to take action against climate change and inspire others to join the cause. In June 2022, she transformed the iconic Taj Mahal into a plastic pollution-free monument.

Delhi University adopted her long-standing demand, making it compulsory for each student to plant at least one tree per year in order to pass their final examination. Thanks to her advocacy, thousands of schools in India now incorporate climate education into their curriculum. After spending a week protesting alone in front of the President’s House in India against the Delhi air pollution crisis, the President signed an ordinance on October 28, 2020, enacting a new law to curb air pollution in Delhi.

Licypriya also opened a "Plastic Money Shop" in Delhi, where people can exchange single-use plastic waste for free rice, stationery items, or saplings, aiming to eliminate single-use plastic waste and prevent it from reaching lakes, rivers, and oceans. In 2020, she launched the "Monday for Mother Nature" initiative, where she plants trees with school children every Monday, with the goal of planting one million trees annually.

In 2020, she turned down Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "She Inspires Us" honor due to unmet demands. She was praised by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who called her "a reminder of the world’s obligations towards future generations" in 2019. Licypriya is the World Children Peace Prize Laureate 2019, Rising Star of Earth Day 2019, and a recipient of the Global Child Prodigy Award 2020, International Women's Day Award 2021 by the Delhi Government, and the prestigious TN Khushoo Memorial Award 2020. She was also featured among the "50 Powerful Voices of the World in 2020," alongside His Holiness Pope Francis, to celebrate Earth Day.

On June 5, 2023, she was invited to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican to celebrate World Environment Day. She was also the girl who helped push for an end to the fossil fuel era at COP28 in Dubai. Licypriya has met with several world leaders as part of her climate movement and has spoken at over 400 institutions and platforms in more than 32 countries, advocating to adults about the threat of climate change.

When she began her movement in 2018, she was alone, but today she has garnered the love and support of thousands from across the globe. Licypriya is a Guinness World Record holder (2022) for her plastic pollution campaign and currently serves as the Special Envoy for the President of Timor-Leste. Her inspiring story is featured as a separate chapter called "Child Hero" in the Grade 3 and Grade 7 CBSE English syllabus in India.

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Follow Licypriya’s work:

G: https://www.instagram.com/licypriyakangujam/?hl=en

X: https://x.com/LicypriyaK?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Website: https://www.licypriyakangujam.com/about/

Jacqueline Prawira is a 19-year-old researcher and inventor from Mountain House, California. An avid bookworm since she was young, Jacqueline first explored the world beyond her horizons through reading. But she realized that as beautiful as the planet was on paper, the problems of environmental pollution and degradation she read about were not confined to the pages of a book. Inspired by the environmental issues directly impacting her community.

Jacqueline began re-evaluating her daily lifestyle to find ways to address the issues she saw at their source. Jacqueline’s research targets existing wastes and undervalued materials to upcycle into new solutions to environmental problems. This promotes a circular materials economy, helping mitigate pollution and reducing demand for natural resources. Her ultimate goal is for sustainability to be integral to daily life.

For her work, Jacqueline has been awarded at the national and international level. She was named a 2022 Rise Global Winner, is a three-time winner at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), and is a 2021 National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) winner. Jacqueline has also earned titles as the 2021 Project of the Year at the California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) and 2019 Outstanding Young Scientist by the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS).

Jacqueline has also been a guest speaker for various events from the local to the international level, including the Youth STEM Matters Conference, the Indonesian Scientific Society (ISS), Global Community Bio Summit, and the San Joaquin and Alameda County Offices of Education, presenting about the importance of STEM research and environmental action.

Jacqueline is currently a junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pursuing her degree in Material Science and Engineering. As an undergrad student, she has continued research on sustainable materials by joining MIT’s Center for Electrification and Decarbonization of Industry (CEDI), collaborating with other researchers to achieve new breakthroughs, and jointly filing a patent for her contributions.

Like, and share to support October’s Young Planet Leader Jacqualine Prawira.

Follow Jacqueline’s work:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-prawira-91bbb9279

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquelineprawira/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacqueline.prawira.1/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/jacquelinepraw1?lang=en

Gitanjali Rao is an 18-year-old inventor, aspiring scientist, author, speaker, and an active promoter of STEM around the world. She was recognized as America's Top Young  Scientist and was a recipient of an EPA Presidential award for her patented invention of an innovative lead contamination detection tool. 

Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione” a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and "Kindly" - an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and Natural Language processing.

She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 for solving an environmental issue of lead contamination, as well as TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "TIME Kid of the Year" for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which have inspired over 85,000 students in the last three years across 46 countries.

Gitanjali is the author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM", available in 6 languages, which guides students, educators, or teachers through a self-developed prescriptive 5 step innovation process. She was appointed as a UNICEF Youth Advocate 2021 for using science to solve social problems such as cyber-bullying and developing solutions for environmental protection and recently received the Muhammed Ali Humanitarian and Martin Luther King Beloved Community award for her selfless service to the refugee camp students.

She is currently a freshman at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Like, and share to support September’s Young Planet Leader Gitanjali Rao.

Follow Gitanjali’s work:

https://gitanjalirao.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gitanjalirao/

https://www.instagram.com/gitanjaliarao

Alex Wagonfeld is a climate activist at The Nueva School in San Mateo, CA, who has taken on several climate initiatives to create an impact on the international, national, regional, and city-wide levels. Wagonfield has created an international movement for high schools to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest into clean energy through his International High School Divestment & Reinvestment Coalition, operating in 10+ countries with over 49 member schools.

He has worked further to mobilize hundreds of youth to take climate action through High School Climate Action, an online resource he created that is currently utilized by 1,500 students in the United States. Locally, he has spoken at over a dozen city council meetings across the Bay Area to successfully push for sustainable electrification policies and helped progress his own school to become much more sustainable through leading Nueva's Environmental Club and Fossil Fuel Divestment & Clean Energy Reinvestment Team.

Like, and share to support August’s Young Planet Leader Alex Wagonfeld.

Follow Alex’s work:

Website for Divestment Coalition: https://www.hsdivestreinvest.org/

Website for High School Climate Action: https://www.hsclimateaction.org/

High School Divestment & Reinvestment Coalition Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsdivestreinvest

Aarin Bothra is a rising junior at Oswego East High School in Oswego, Illinois. He is passionate about the environment, STEM, and astronomy. He loves to innovate and create meaningful change in his community. He noticed from a young age that his local community had constant flooding and, after doing research, learned that this was due to the lack of native plants. He went on to co-found an environmental activism nonprofit, Seeds of Hope, which creates seed libraries that allow community members to receive free, native seeds that they can plant in their local areas.

Seeds of Hope is currently in five schools and libraries in the Chicagoland area and has acquired funding from T-Mobile and the Batelle Climate Fund. He is also a passionate innovator and helped invent Algae Air, an algae-based biofiltration air filter for schools, which received a patent and $7,500 in funding from the Lemelson-MIT program.

In his free time, Aarin’s favorite hobby is to stargaze and use his telescope. He also loves to learn languages (currently Japanese), cook, and code. Through his environmental work, he seeks to inspire others to contribute to positive societal change and sustainable solutions.

Like, and share to support July’s Young Planet Leader Aarin Bothra.

Follow Aarin’s work:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarin-bothra-137127274/ (LinkedIn)

• https://www.ourseedsofhope.com/ (Seeds of Hope Website)

• https://www.nctv17.org/news/area-students-pitch-sustainability-ideas-at-inaugural-blast-event-in-naperville/ (Seeds of Hope News Feature)

• https://lemelson.mit.edu/teams/oswego-east-high-school-inventeam (Algae Air)

• https://capture.udel.edu/media/2023+Diamond+Challenge+Summit-14-Algae+Air/1_gyms21dx/299549962 (Algae Air Pitch)

Nithya Tammana, at just nine years old, is a passionate advocate for environmental conservation, particularly in the realm of water sustainability. Growing up with a deep appreciation for the natural world, Nithya was inspired to take action after witnessing the staggering amount of water wasted in her own home while waiting for the shower to heat up.

Driven by a desire to make a difference, Nithya founded "Save Drop," a grassroots initiative aimed at raising awareness about water wastage and promoting practical solutions to mitigate it. Her primary focus is on advocating for the widespread adoption of water recirculation pumps, which she believes can significantly reduce household water consumption and preserve this precious resource for future generations.

Nithya is dedicated to spreading the message that every household wastes over 20,000 gallons of water annually, simply from waiting for the shower to heat up. Through her work with Save Drop, she hopes to educate others about the importance of water conservation and empower them to take action in their own homes. She is partnering with a recirculating pump manufacturer with the goal of installing 100 recirculating pumps in the next six months. She won an award from Alaska Airlines for this project.

In addition to her environmental advocacy, Nithya is also actively involved in her brother's initiative, "Recycle My Battery," where she has played a key role in facilitating the recycling of over 10,000 batteries. Through her dedication and commitment to environmental causes, Nithya hopes to inspire others to join her in creating a more sustainable and water-conscious world.

Like, and share to support June’s Young Planet Leader Nithya Tammana.

Follow Nithya’s work:

https://www.change.org/p/stop-cold-water-waste-while-waiting-for-a-hot-shower-take-action-now

https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/55708