Gen Z vs. Climate Change: A 2025 Deep Dive into Youth-Led Sustainability
- sanjan ganguly
- Jun 18
- 9 min read
In emerging economies like India, Gen Z climate warriors are leading advocacy movements using social media platforms. Climate change is not an incipient issue in 2025 but a critical one, and requires collective action—as urgency fueled by fear is often more effective than pessimism and dread.
Gen Z are tech-savvy digital explorers, fearless in the face of global uncertainty. Each generation has their fair share of problems, but Gen Z approaches the climate crisis with optimism—and together with modern tech, it’s a winning combination. Youth-led sustainability movements happening all over the world are unparalleled; social media serves as a platform to connect, unite, and rally for change.
Gen Z does not shy away from personally taking action: they go on school strikes and launch climate startups—and the first generation to have access to such modern tech undoubtedly leaves their mark. Trends come and go, but the impact of sponsored climate actions by influential activists is widespread and universally embraced by both corporations and governments.
Untouched by previous generations, these leaders work by advocating to bring revolutionary changes to policies.
Table Of Content
Gen Z and Climate Anxiety: Turning Fear into Action
For Gen Z, climate change is more than an issue – it is a deeply personal challenge. For those who have experienced the continuously scrolling doomsday news, depleted natural resources, soaring greenhouse gas emissions, and the resulting planetary death rationale, Gen Z has to survive the emotional burdens–climate anxiety.
As of now, a 2021 survey claimed over 59% of youth globally showed “very or extremely worried,” sentiment and forecasted that number will only be increasing. Now look at it, From the middle of India all the way to Iceland, one young voice after the other lays bare the sentiment “what kind of world will we face unto us.”
But here’s the twist: this anxiety isn’t paralyzing them — it’s powering a movement.
Instead of tuning out, young people who care about the environment are turning their fears into motivation. They’re establishing nonprofits, majoring in environmental sciences, casting eco-friendly votes, and holding brands accountable for eco-friendly offerings. GenZ's leadership towards environmental issues is very emotional and that emotion inspires action.
Activism is a way to cope with stress for some individuals. From planning tree-planting events, creating composting initiatives, showing the world that calling out brands for greenwashing is valid, these actions provide hope, control, and solace. Eco anxiety is not a weakness; it is a superpower.
From Doomscrolling to Doing: The Power of Digital Climate Activism
The recent trend of doomscrolling has now transformed into a form of activism. As for the Indian Gen Z’s, activism starts with a single swipe on the screen. It has felt like an endless scroll of disasters concerning the environment, but it has now transformed into a means for action. Today, the youth of India are using social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to promote digital climate activism and to educate the masses out there.
Young Indians who tell the stories and provide relevant information while integrating facts are the spearheaders of the keystone:
Licypriya Kangujam – She captivates audiences both online and offline as India’s youngest climate warrior. Her policies are set in motion by the need to take climate action at the earliest.
Disha Ravi – Disha co-founded Fridays for Future India. With social media at her fingertips, she raises awareness on climate injustice and holds leaders accountable while elevating grassroots movements.
Vani Murthy (@wormrani) – An expert in urban sustainability and a composting crusader, Vani redefines herculean ecological challenges into relatable Instagram reels, largely contributing to the green revolution.
The youth climate influencers in India are changing the narrative around climate concern post by post through hashtags, digital petitions, video campaigns, and educational content.
For this environmentally aware generation, the phone is more than just a communication device; it is a loudspeaker. Every click, comment, or following causes enables them to advance the environmental justice movement.
Gen Z in the Streets: Protests and Grassroots Movements
When online activism does not suffice, Gen Z mobilizes to confront issues head-on. All over India, young people are taking visible and sustained actions to protest for urgent climate action from leaders and corporations. These are not singular occurrences; they are part of a broader cohort of Gen Z activism dramatically shifting the environmental story of India.
Young Indians are participating and being heard through various means:
Delhi Tree Protests: In areas like Sarojini Nagar and Netaji Nagar, the youth groups organized protests against the cutting down of more than 16,000 trees as part of the redevelopment plans. Their protests helped to generate public hearings and legal hearings which halted the progress of harmful plans.
Save Mollem Campaign (Goa): In Goa, the Save Mollem Campaign saw students, young professionals, and artists rally to protect Mollem National Park from invasive rail and power line constructions in 2020-2021. What started as online petitions blossomed into physical protests, awareness artistic campaigns, legal actions, and other forms of youth-led resistance.
Aarey Forest Movement (Mumbai): In 2019, students and local residents from the Gen Z demographic sectionalized into groups and participated in overnight vigils against the construction of a metro car shed in Aarey Forest. Due to their strenuous efforts, the Maharashtra government decided to change the location of the project.
EIA 2020 Online Protest: In response to the published draft of Environmental Impact Assessment 2020, the Indian youth systemically changed their focus to the digital sphere, bombarding the environment ministry with 2 million emails, alongside teaching the public through infographics, webinars, and videos illustrating the consequences of the 2020 policy proposal.
These protests have had more than just symbolic change. There are noteworthy changes in policy such as halted development projects, increased scrutiny of the environment, and enhanced civic engagement that are demonstrably impactful.
To the Indian Gen Z, youth environmental advocacy activism means ‘to be there, physically, at the sidewalks, the steps of Parliament, or on the ground of campus and every local neighborhood’.
Their activism proves that, in 2025, the streets are one of the most powerful avenues for climate justice.
Gen Z Green Startups & Eco Innovation in India
Gen Z is more than just the face of protests; they are the builders of the nation’s future. In India, we are witnessing a new wave of Gen Z eco-innovation as youngsters concern themselves with the negative impacts of climate change and actively work towards solving issues. There is an emerging group of young Indians who are starting ‘green’ businesses that use sustainable materials, practice circular fashion, and create clean-tech platforms that integrate profit with meaning.
Below is a list of some Gen Z initiatives alongside Indian startups that aim towards a more sustainable future:
Brown Living – A zero-waste store providing plastic-free alternatives for home, fashion, and personal care.
Vrajbhoomi – A fashion brand by budding designers converting textile scraps into fashionable and sustainable garments.
Bare Necessities – A Bengaluru-based zero-waste personal and home care brand, it actively engages Gen Z with the cause.
Climes – A carbon offsetting solution to help you fund climate projects when you go about your daily business.
JunkItIndia –A startup run by a group of young entrepreneurs, it recycles e-waste and furniture to create usable, eco-friendly articles.
Beyond founding startups, Gen Z is also shaping markets as ethical consumers — choosing thrift, reuse, and transparency over waste and convenience.
These green Gen Z initiatives prove that sustainability is not just a movement — it’s a business model for the future.
Climate Careers: How Sustainability Shapes Gen Z’s Professional Path
Gen Zers want more than pay from a job — they seek impact. There are tons of Gen Z students expressing that they want to be working at a company that aligns with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) values, according to a recent Handshake survey. This transition is a sign of one of the most pervasive Gen Z sustainability trends in the workplace. From climate consulting to renewable energy; from sustainable design to social impact startups — they’re focusing on careers where they can make a difference to long-term environmental solutions. Many are also opting for remote not just for flexibility, but as a mindful sustainability choice — a way to shrink carbon footprints for daily commutes. Since then, we have seen a steep increase in green majors such as environmental science, sustainability studies and climate policy, another nod to the fact that education is being recast by climate urgency. These changes illustrate the ways in which Gen Z environmental leadership is moving beyond activism — it’s taking shape as a career path, a calling, a lifelong pursuit.
What’s Next: The Future of Climate Activism is Gen Z
As we look to the future, we know this for certain: The future of climate activism rests with Gen Z. But continuing and growing this movement will also not be easy. Many younger climate advocates are already struggling with burnout, emotional fatigue and the disillusionment that infuses generational divides about priorities and decision-making. Their zeal is unassailable — but what they require is not short-term applause, but sustained backing. For real impact, there is a need for dedicated collaboration across sectors — involving educators in climate literacy, policy makers in developing youth-inclusive spaces, and businesses in shaping strategies for environmental and social equity.
It will be difficult, but there are plenty of potential opportunities. Gen Z isn’t just striking — they’re informing climate policy, launching eco-friendly businesses and fueling a new era of climate education centered on action and equity. Their reach is growing in boardrooms, classrooms and government chambers, reshaping what leadership looks like in a climate-threatened world.
Now is the time for all stakeholders to act. Brands that want to support youth-led sustainability can't only give lip service. Teachers need to give students the skills to innovate and to lead. Policymakers need to bring youth to the table — not as tokens but as equal partners. And fellow youth? Stay strong, stay connected and keep leading with courage.
Because Gen Z climate action is no longer a fringe pet cause; it’s the defining insurgency of this decade. The systems may lag in how they respond, but in the hands of Gen Z, the future of climate activism is not in good hands, it is already well in them.
Conclusion: From Awareness to Impact
Perhaps just as importantly, Gen Z’s engagement around climate is wide-ranging, from protest to policy, innovation to purpose-driven careers — taking awareness to impact at every level. Their approach is an attitude that says sustainability is not a choice, it's the way we do everything. From eco-entrepreneurship to climate storytelling to digital advocacy, Gen Z is driving with urgency and creativity.
Organizations such as Greenmyna are driving this momentum — providing an outlet for Gen Z-focused sustainability consultancy, a platform for discussion and practical strategies that can turn ideas into climate-positive action.
The future competitor is playing in a totally different space, and even competitor status is not exactly true: if we learn from Gen Z’s sustainability playbook, then we will see their choices as a guide for ourselves — to act boldly and build for the long term. And with Gen Z at the wheel — and change agents like Greenmyna right by their side — the future of climate action has never been brighter.
FAQs
1. What is Gen Z’s role in climate action in 2025?
Gen Z is leading the climate movement through digital activism, grassroots protests, green startups, and sustainability-focused careers. Their actions are reshaping environmental policies and business practices globally.
2. How is Gen Z using social media for climate change activism?
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are being used by Gen Z to launch viral climate campaigns, educate followers, and mobilize action—making them leaders in digital climate activism.
3. What are some examples of youth-led sustainability initiatives?
Initiatives like Fridays for Future, Force of Nature, Misfits Market, and Vinted are pioneering Gen Z's push for climate justice and sustainable living.
4. Why is climate anxiety so common among Gen Z?
Gen Z faces rising climate anxiety due to their acute awareness of environmental threats, but many are channeling this stress into youth-led sustainability and policy activism.
5. How does Gen Z choose employers based on sustainability?
Surveys show that Gen Z job seekers often reject companies lacking climate commitments, and many pursue careers aligned with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values.
6. What are green majors and why are they popular with Gen Z?
Green majors include degrees in environmental science, sustainable agriculture, and climate policy. Gen Z increasingly prefers these fields to prepare for impactful climate careers.
7. How can I support Gen Z environmental leadership?
Support can come through amplifying their voices, investing in their startups, incorporating their feedback in policy, or simply sharing youth-led social media climate campaigns.
8. How Gen Z Can Take Action Today
Join local climate strikes or community cleanups
Follow & support climate creators
Launch a sustainability initiative with campus clubs
Volunteer with Greenmyna’s youth programs
Comments