By Millie May and Annie McKenzie
Young climate leaders at London Climate Action Week railed against “youth-washing” which undermines their hard-won efforts to claim a seat at global climate negotiations. University of Cambridge climate initiative Cambridge Zero and University of Bath’s Institute for Policy Research partnered with SOS UK to host a panel of inspiring young climate leaders discussing justice, education, green skills and global politics.
The panel discussion followed a screening of Cambridge Zero’s and IPR’s annual ActNowFilm, during a sweltering London heatwave, which foreshadowed the climate today’s youth could inherit if global emissions continue to rise. Cambridge Zero and Bath’s IPR screened their annual ActNowFilm.
Cambridge Zero Head of Education and Student Engagement Dr Amy Munro-Faure moderated the panel of young leaders, recognised for driving change across grassroot campaigns to government policy and international negotiations.
Daniella Amaral, Executive Director of Engajamundo, drew on her years of grassroots advocacy with a powerful address on the importance of youth-led climate justice in Brazil, in which she criticised the superficial inclusion of youths without offering them a real voice, known as “youth-washing”.
“Young people are ready to be up at this table. We need to create spaces for youth to make a difference—not just to be a token.”
Will Wale, the UK Department for Education’s Youth Focal Point emphasised the need for greater access to meaningful learning opportunities around the climate crisis and embedding sustainability and climate education in British schools.
Belinda Ng, sustainability consultant at Environmental Resources Management, brought a practical lens to the conversation as she spoke of her work delivering green skills workshops in London schools and her Food4All initiative, which tackles food waste and food insecurity.
“Climate action can come down to small behavioural changes,” she said. “Something as simple as becoming aware of your diet’s climate footprint can make a difference.”
The conversation then moved to the global stage. James Miller of Global Optimism spoke on youth engagement in international climate campaigns. He warned that climate action has been increasingly side-lined by geopolitical instability and recent global crises. “It’s really for us to get it back up the agenda,” he said, highlighting the unique drive that young people bring to the international climate movement.
Millie May, a youth climate advocate and experienced COP delegate, offered reflections from her engagement at COP28 and COP29. Her intervention echoed a central theme of ActNowFilm, the need to embed youth participation within official UN climate processes.
“Young people are not just observers,” she said. “They bring expertise that can directly shape and strengthen international climate policy.”
As the session came to a close, Dr Munro-Faure offered a passionate final note. She called for greater investment in youth participation, particularly funding to ensure representation at major summits like COP and emphasised the range of contributions young people are already making, from grassroots initiatives to high-level policy advocacy.
In a week dominated by headlines on record heat and environmental tipping points, this event served as a powerful reminder of the vital contribution that young people have to offer.