Youth Climate Activists
IN THE NEWS
BC student fought her school board for composting and recycling
In Grade 10, Melody Silva began pressing her Saltspring Island, BC, school to provide plastic recycling and composting. To her frustration and despite a strong economic argument and widespread student and community support, the school board remains mostly intransigent.
Student climate leader is rallying youth to take on the plastic crisis
Payal Mehta has a plastic dream. This young climate leader from Guelph, Ont., was named a 2026 Starfish Canada Fellow for her work starting Reimagining Plastic , a youth-led initiative to raise awareness and take action on the impact of plastics in our environment and bodies.
BC youth builds community power to drive environmental change
Ashton Kerr connects and empowers people to take action for the environment. As acting director of partnerships and programs for Green Teams Canada, this 28-year-old North Vancouver resident shares the power and value of community organizing to create meaningful change.
A Montreal youth hosts Climate Death Cafés to help people grieve a changing planet
Victor Yin shows people they are not alone in their grief and mourning over the climate. With his co-facilitator Christina Joy, the 25-year-old from Montreal hosts “Climate Death Cafés” to create safe spaces for these conversations. Victor is a 2026 Starfish Canada Climate75 Fellow.
Montreal teen develops tool for teaching kids about climate change
Leila Pozzi is making it easier for children and youth everywhere to talk about climate change. This 19-year-old Starfish Canada Climate75 Fellow from Montreal has developed and tested a framework to allow teachers and student leaders, regardless of geography or social context, to engage young audiences.
BC teen's mission is to amplify voices impacted by climate change
Isabella Wen helps those directly impacted by climate change find their voice. This 18-year-old high school student from Surrey, British Columbia, is a Starfish Canada 2026 Climate75 Fellow. She is also media team lead for the food sovereignty conversation hosted by UBC’s Health Together project.
Helping young people process climate anxiety and take action
With a belief that the climate crisis is as much an emotional and mental challenge as a physical one, 23-year-old Brampton, Ont. native Jashan Gill leads operations for Green Mind Canada, which aims to equip young people with the tools they need to process what is happening and take meaningful action.
Want to cut emissions? Young advocate says tax the rich — and what they own
Many are tempted to focus on taxing luxury consumption, but this University of Toronto PhD student says they should aim bigger: rather than just focus on what the rich are consuming, policymakers should also keep their investments in mind.
Charting her own course in the climate movement
Melody Li is designing her own path toward a fairer, more climate-adaptive future. In 2026, she will focus on her own project, Meals That Matter, helping people in vulnerable and marginalized communities see food that would otherwise be wasted can be redirected to provide delicious, culturally appropriate and climate-friendly meals — while keeping food out of landfills.
Alberta teen helps young people to influence decision-makers
Seeing parallels between Canada and his mother's hometown in India, Mihir Rao realized his own stories of the impacts of climate change on the places he loves needed to be told.
Student launches reusable cup initiative at local coffee shops
Abby Van Helvoirt thinks globally and acts locally. This 13-year-old, Grade 8 student from Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, builds networks, relationships and partnerships to reduce waste.
A template for a national youth climate corps
As youth unemployment soars and climate anxiety deepens, a youth training and employment program focused on climate resiliency offers hope.
Salt Spring Island Youth Honoured as Environmental Changemaker
Eighteen-year-old Cleo Nickels has been recognized as a 2025 Youth Changemaker for Environmental Justice for her outstanding grassroots leadership on Salt Spring Island.
Student helps others step into the future
Quinn MacAskill helps us imagine a better future. This 20-year-old Dalhousie University student asks groups, 'What is your dream for your community?' Then, she helps participants work together to step into that future.
Teen urges others to embrace climate education
Lily YangLiu is a social media educator and advocate who ensures youth voices are represented at international climate talks. This 16-year-old also advises the BC government on climate curriculum and is designing a 135-hour climate education program for elementary school students.
How best to arrive at a low-carbon future together
Lauretta Pearse is depolarizing Canada’s energy conversation. As a Fellow at Alberta’s Energy Futures Lab (EFL), she is part of a diverse group searching to understand people’s perspectives on how best to arrive at the low-carbon future most want. She is Canada’s Clean50 Emerging Leader winner.
Students educating students about climate change
Juliana Janot wants all post-secondary students to understand climate change. This 20-year-old University of British Columbia student co-founded ‘Climate Education for All’ to make sure every student is educated about the causes and impacts of the climate crisis and its solutions.
From smog to solutions: A journey of climate activism
When YangLiu moved to Canada, she was captivated by Canada’s beautiful nature and fresh air. The stark contrast to the smog in Beijing gave her a profound appreciation for the environment and motivated her to lobby for better education around climate change and nature in schools.
Luke Wallace and The Dandelion Resistance Project
Luke Wallace’s Dandelion Resistance Project brings music, storytelling and community together to inspire hope and collective action on climate change. Discover how his work reaches choirs, schools and audiences across North America.
Wandering and learning about Canada's wild spaces
Graeme Hopkins is passionate about immersing young people in nature. This 20-year-old from Saskatchewan takes groups of youth, aged 13 to 18, into wild spaces in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.