Abstract
Youth-led climate activism has emerged as a powerful force for environmental change, particularly in Southeast Asia, a region highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters. Young activists are leading grassroots movements, policy advocacy efforts, and corporate accountability campaigns, positioning themselves as key stakeholders in climate governance. This study explores the leadership characteristics of youth climate activists in Southeast Asia, the effectiveness of their campaigns, their interactions with policymakers and corporations, and the challenges they face in sustaining long-term activism.
Using a case study approach, the study analyses various authors perspectives on youth-led activism’s impact on policy and corporate sustainability alongside case studies of Southeast Asian climate movements. The findings suggest that youth-led activism effectively influences environmental discourse and policy negotiations, but institutional barriers, financial constraints, and activist burnout hinder long-term sustainability.
This research contributes to climate leadership studies, youth political engagement literature, and social movement theory, offering a leadership framework for sustaining youth-led environmental activism. The findings can inform governments, NGOs, and corporate stakeholders on better-integrating youth voices into policy and sustainability initiatives.