Youth Stories Archives | Planet Pulse

Across the globe, young people are finding their voices in the climate conversation, not as experts, but as witnesses, dreamers, and changemakers.

This collection brings together 22 youth storytellers aged from their teens to early thirties, representing communities from Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Each one shares a deeply personal perspective on what it means to live in a changing world, their fears, hopes, and everyday acts of courage.

From artists and scientists to activists and educators, these stories show that caring for the planet begins with empathy and ends with action. Together, they form a living mosaic of the generation shaping a more compassionate future.

Every story here is one “page” in a growing flipbook of human connection. Turn slowly, read deeply, and listen closely, each voice carries something we can all learn from.

Love will win revolutions

Vhon traces a life shaped by typhoons, from playing in storms as a child to organising national and global youth climate actions. Despite trauma, his hope rests in community, solidarity and love as forces for change.

Conversing with the dead

In dialogue with Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice”, La’eeqa reflects on droughts, floods and a history of injustice in South Africa. She holds rage and grief alongside fierce dreams of systemic change built on equity and empathy.

I could not shake the fatalism

James tracks his life through policy shifts, strange weather, political setbacks and climate strikes. Encouraged by youth activism but worn down by disasters and poor responses, he struggles to believe meaningful change will come.

The magic of soil

Alvar revives traditional building with soil and clay to cut construction emissions and rebuild community. Through hands-on workshops, he shows how local earth can create circular, beautiful structures and new ways of building together.

For the Forest, the Land, and Our People: Patamuan Talino

Jhonatan grows up Dayak with the forest, land and river as family, then watches them fall to palm oil and fire. Founding Patamuan Talino, he continues his late father’s legacy by organising youth to defend culture and territory.

They're not coming to save us

Calum moves from giving talks about climate risks to organising risky acts of civil disobedience. Police crackdowns convince him that ordinary people using peaceful disruption are a real political force—and that no leader will fix this for them.

I used to be a very active environmental activist

Nina’s love of nature leads to intense activism and a thesis on Extinction Rebellion, but also to deep climate anxiety and burnout. She now focuses on living her values and accepting that others must choose change themselves.

"I need to believe my courage will be enough"

Victória, a Brazilian climate justice advocate, lives her “flower age” under constant news of fires, floods and harm to loved ones. Despite fear and exhaustion, she chooses courage and intersectional feminist organising to keep pushing for a fairer, safer world.

Art, for me, is a tool to create narratives that spark compassion

Rooted in Japanese heritage and mountain landscapes, Erica uses art to highlight interconnectedness and uplift marginalised ESEA and AAPI voices. Through Lotus Earth Creative, she turns creativity into a gentle, hopeful form of climate action.

Doing things that people think are impossible

Emma uses circus and sailing performances with Acting for Climate to stir feelings and spark imagination. By living a touring life that models change, she shows that courage and creativity can push what seems possible

Leaning into the potential of human revolution

Chloé treats climate anxiety as a message from the body and answers it with values-led action. By organising intergenerational dialogues, she rebuilds trust, listens deeply and bets on humans’ ability to change together.

Muddy with optimism

Joseph, a marine biologist used to disasters, confronts devastating floods in Valencia that destroy towns near his home. Helping clean up and support people and animals leaves him angry yet strongly encouraged by collective solidarity.

Caring for literally everything feels important

Djinda’s childhood summers on Gorée Island give way to eroded coasts, overfishing and anxiety about every choice she makes. She turns to veganism, activism and quiet moments in water and forests to cope and reconnect.

We have learned to keep going, even with the fear

From a childhood on a small sheep farm to adulthood, Tadhg watches floods, landslides and harsh winters reshape the land. Fear for the farm’s future never fully leaves, but he and his community keep working the land anyway.

Lessons on individual action planted seeds of anxiety

Isla remembers school eco-lessons that taught good habits but also sparked early worry about doing harm. Later, a rare tornado in rural Ireland and stories from displaced people turn that worry into adult climate anxiety and resolve.

I could smell the damp earth

As a young farmer and teacher, Darren feels climate change in waterlogged fields, harsh winters and struggling livestock. His story mixes worry and determination, ending with a poem about resilient farming and shared responsibility.

For crying out loud, why won’t they act?

Katja’s ordinary evening of hanging laundry turns into a panic attack as climate news plays in the background. The story captures how headlines about fires, heat records and weak policies lodge in the body as fear and rage.

Discovering that such realities exist filled me with relief and hope

Dijana moves from eco-anxiety and lifestyle changes to discovering ecovillages as living examples of sustainable communities. Knowing these places exist renews her belief that different futures are possible.

Hope comes from the people I meet who care

Growing up disgusted by litter and later studying tourism and environmental protection, Nika feels fear and frustration at human impact. Her hope lies in the growing number of people who care and act alongside her.

“Young people don't want to do anything”

Hearing this stereotype while studying climate and human rights pushes Roberta from anxiety into action. One youth climate conference grows into a national youth movement and the creation of Change For Planet.

I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders

Nadia charts her journey from school eco-projects to organising climate strikes for thousands while juggling exams and burnout. Awards and university activism bring pride, but the future still feels uncertain and heavy.

The ocean taught me

Growing up in Guna Yala, Diwigdi builds a deep bond with the sea that later drives their fight for a plastic ban in Panama. The story weaves ocean conservation with Indigenous identity and non-binary pride.

Kick off meeting Oslo May 2024

In May 2024, Oslo hosted the inaugural in-person meeting for the Planet Pulse project. This significant event marked a pivotal moment for partners who had primarily collaborated online. The two-day session was a blend of introductions, presentations, and collaborative activities focused on tackling climate anxiety among youth. Key Highlights: Introductions and Icebreakers: Attendees from various […]

Climate Change Anxiety in Young People

Introduction Climate change is not just an environmental crisis but also a significant mental health challenge, especially for young people. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, both sudden and gradual, has led to severe mental health issues among youth, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. The Mental Health Impact Young people are […]