Anwesha Nath and Other Student Advocates Take Charge on Climate, Host UN Local Council of Youth

When Anwesha Nath first began her climate journey at the age of 15, she could not have imagined that within just a few years she would be addressing world leaders, co-organizing youth conferences, and representing her generation in high-level climate negotiations. Growing up in the United Arab Emirates, but hailing from the high-country tea town of Assam, India, she witnessed the impact of rapid development on the environment—sparking her conviction that young people must take part in shaping a more sustainable future. 

Today, as an aspiring International Economics major at Georgetown University in Qatar (Class of 2028), Anwesha has established herself as a dynamic advocate for climate justice, youth inclusion, and sustainable innovation. Recently she spoke about her advocacy work at a panel on “Shaping COP30 – Building Narratives for Global Climate Advocacy”  featuring experts from Earthna, and the embassies of Australia and Germany, and at the end of the month, she and fellow students will be hosting the UN Local Council of Youth (LCOY) Conference at GU-Q.

Anwesha’s sustainability awakening came when she and a team entered an Uber-sponsored competition her freshman year of high school. “We created a carbon tracking application using blockchain. When we went to Uber, they sent us back home that day saying, ‘Actually, this is a great opportunity to solve an issue, but we’re not making any money.’ So we went back the next day with a revenue-sharing model, and Uber really liked the idea.”

The experience was eye-opening. “One thing that I learned was that these companies have issues with sustainability and climate change, but because they are driven by profits, it’s hard to find balance. That is why I’m studying economics at Georgetown—my mission is to find the answer of how you balance sustainability and profitability.”

Soon after, a UN contact invited her to join the youth constituency of the UNFCCC. “My main focus has been to put forward youth demands and hold accountability,” she explained. “Even though it felt like tokenism, we kept fighting. And now, things are changing.” Following her interventions at this year’s climate talks in Bonn, she was invited to present at the UN’s Katowice Committee of Experts meeting in Turkey.

At Georgetown, Anwesha is channeling her global experience into local action. Alongside students Daniyal Taj (GU-Q’28) and Hammad Khalifa (GU-Q’28), and supported by 55 volunteers, she is building a platform for youth voices across the region by co-organizing the UN LCOY in Qatar this September. Collectively they will craft MENA’s contribution to the Global Youth Statement for COP30.

The work is about more than events—she was a host for the LCOY conference in UAE last year—it’s about shifting mindsets. “I’m not your typical activist in the sense that you’ll see me constantly posting on social media. I think action needs to go on a very granular level. You speak to them first, you create the policy, you create the foundation, and then you can start talking about action. My aim is to hold a conversation with an organization and say, ‘You have this issue, I’ve solved it, and it’s a win-win.’ That’s the only way forward.”

For Anwesha, the upcoming conference is not just an event, it’s a call to action. “If you don’t apply yourself to providing solutions for a sustainable future, no one else will. We need your voice now.”

To learn more and register, visit https://unfccc.int/topics/education-and-youth/youngo/coy