Young Climate Leaders 2026

The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), with the support of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue, selected 8 young climate leaders to join CEPS' annual flagship event, Ideas Lab, in Brussels on 2 and 3 March 2026.

CEPS Ideas Lab 2026 | 2026 cohort | Related content | Contact

The 2026 cohort

One of the biggest challenges for climate action today is that the people who live through the most intense climate impacts often have the least space and voice to shape the solution.
My contribution is to help close the communication gap –translating marine science and community experience into clear, credible stories and decision‑ready materials that support practical action and durable coalitions.
People who understand the crisis can hold current leaders accountable and can become the next ones, bringing environmental responsibility into the centre of political decision making.
Solutions must be grounded in lived experience to ensure that the people most affected are not left behind.
We say this a lot, but real climate action must centre the voices of those who carry the memory of the land.
People are struggling to secure basic needs, so climate action gets framed as a luxury, even though it directly affects our ability to breathe, work, learn, and live with dignity.
The main issue is treating the environment as a single discipline, when it should be addressed in an interdisciplinary manner that encompasses human rights and international law.
One of the biggest challenges is the low understanding of climate change tools and methodology to incorporate it on individual levels in daily life.

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