GCA CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel 2025
T
he Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has announced the ten young leaders selected as members of the 2025 Youth Advisory Panel to the CEO.
Following a global call for applications in late 2024, these outstanding individuals were chosen from a pool of applicants representing 90 countries. Selection was based on their leadership, dedication, and impact in advancing climate adaptation. This year’s panel ensures broad regional representation, with members from Africa (one from each region: Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and Central), Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Small Island Developing States, reflecting the diversity of the global youth adaptation movement.
Serving a one-year term, the panelists will play a key role in shaping advocacy efforts, engaging young people worldwide, and amplifying the adaptation agenda on the global stage.
What is GCA CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel?
The CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel was first established under Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen at COP26 in Glasgow, with the goal of strengthening youth engagement in the global adaptation agenda. At the same climate summit, world leaders committed to doubling adaptation finance to developing countries by 2025.
Since its inception, the panel has played a vital role in amplifying youth voices in climate adaptation. The 2022 and 2023 panels worked closely with GCA colleagues to mobilize over 13,500 young people globally through 12 regional Youth Adaptation Forums, forming the backbone of GCA’s flagship youth consultation process.
Building on this momentum, the 2024 panel expanded its reach, engaging 15,300 young people through six thematic Youth Adaptation Forums. It also took on a significant advocacy role in Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day, organizing Lighthouse Events and developing a petition urging global leaders at COP29 to strengthen their commitment to adaptation finance.
Each year, the CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel continues to grow its impact, empowering young leaders to shape the future of climate adaptation.
Roles and responsibilities
Members of the 2025 CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel will play a key role in driving youth engagement in the adaptation agenda in collaboration with GCA. Their responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic guidance to enhance youth participation in climate adaptation efforts.
- Engaging with GCA’s initiatives, including sub-regional Youth Adaptation Forums and capacity-building programs.
- Supporting advocacy efforts, such as amplifying adaptation campaigns like Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day, promoting youth voices in adaptation policy and decision-making, and strengthening engagement with the Youth Adaptation Network through regional forums.
- Raising awareness among young people on climate adaptation and expanding access to educational resources, including the Toolkit for Youth on Adaptation & Leadership.
Through these efforts, the panel will ensure that young leaders remain at the forefront of shaping the global adaptation agenda.
Meet the GCA CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel 2025:
AFRICA
Central Africa
Mitin Sandrine Yaah (Female, 25)
Country: Cameroon
Organization: Program Manager at Green Space Academy
Academic Background: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, University of Bamenda, First female departmental president and founder of the institution’s pioneering
Other Features: Focal person for the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Cameroon 2024; Climate Accelerator; Cameroon National Youth Statement on Climate Change 2024; Association of Women into Science Ambassador; Ambassador for Theirworld
Southern Africa
Des-Rose Engelbrecht (Female, 26)
Country: Namibia
Organization: Executive member of the Namibian Chamber of Environment; Executive member of the Environmental lawyers Network of Namibia; Member of the Youth4CAN
Academic Background: 2nd Online Executive Training with the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens, Environmental Economics and Environmental Law
Other Features: Rector’s Award for Excellent Achievement in Leadership; UNASA model UN executive officer; youth delegate to the Agenda 2063 AU Conference
Northern Africa
Omar Farhate (Male, 26)
Country: Morocco
Organization: Policy Officer at Emerging Ag.
Academic Background: Three Master’s degrees in Agricultural Sciences from Morocco, Spain, and France
Other Features: Attended 5 COPs as well as multiple events with the FAO, the World Food Forum and the UN Water. Organized youth-led initiatives such as FAO-IAAS Youth for Climate Resilient Agriculture (YCRA) Competition, Africa Food Systems Forum in Tanzania, African Conference on Agricultural Technologies in Kenya, RCOY in Rabat
Western Africa
Febechi Desmond Uzomadike (Male, 21)
Country: Nigeria
Organization:
Academic Background: Student of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cross River State
Other Features: One of the winners of the “My Climate Adaptation Solution” video competition as part of the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day 2024; Award winner from Oxfam as a Green champion in tackling climate change
Eastern Africa
Sankara Nyagaya (Male, 30)
Country: Kenya
Organization: Kenya Forest Club; Green Army
Academic Background: National Organization Secretary for Kenya Forest Club and Founder of Industrial Hemp Association of Kenya (IHAK)
Other Features: Nominated for the Human Rights Defender by the Royal Danish Embassy, Participant of the Youth Academy on Climate Adaptation and Leadership 2024
SIDS
Katrina Khan-Roberts (Female, 35)
Country: Trinidad and Tobago
Organization: Company owner of Metrina Marine Minded Network
Academic Background: B.Sc Environmental and Natural Resource Management, minors in Marine Biology and Zoology; M.Sc Tourism Development and Management
Other Features: Writer and publisher of children book’s targeting marine biology such as “The Mini Marine-Biologist’s Guidebook” or “Metrina’s A-B-Seas The Mini Marine Biologist’s Alphabet”
EUROPE
Marij Tolsma (Female, 19)
Country: The Netherlands
Organization:
Academic Background: Bachelor of Science in Global Responsibility and Leadership at the University Groningen
Other Features: Attended COP 29 with GCA, attended the Youth Exchange Dinner at COP29; GCA Op-Ed Competition winner
AMERICAS
Lívia Chaves Marcolin (Female, 26)
Country: Brazil
Organization: Regional Focal Point for Latin America at the HEY Campaign
Academic background: Environmental Law at Federal University of Bahia; Master Climate Negotiations, International Law at Harvard University
Other features: Represented Brazilian youth at COP27, COP28 and COP29; led the “Unidas pelo Clima”
OCEANA
Dee-Raya Antonio (Female, 18)
Country: Palau
Organization: Chairperson at the National Youth and Cheldebechel Council
Academic background: Palau Community College
Other features: Civil sector co-presenter at the United Nations Voluntary National Review; represented Palau Youth at the Pacific Youth Council and the SIDS4 Children and Youth Summit; Young Pacific Leader delegate at FestPAC Hawai’i; Delegate COP29
ASIA
Genesis Daquinan (Male, 25)
Country: Philippines
Organization: Mangrove Matters Philippines
Academic background: Research Master student in Spatial Sciences (Erasmus Mundus Islands and Sustainability) at the University of Groningen and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; BSc in Fisheries at the University of the Philippines
Other features: MSc thesis on art-making for climate adaptation with youth in Lesvos
For more information about GCA’s Youth Advisory Panel, contact GCA’s Thematic Lead for Youth Leadership and Education, Ms. Adriana Valenzuela, at youth@gca.org.
The ideas presented in this article aim to inspire adaptation action – they are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Global Center on Adaptation.
