The second cohort of UNDP's Youth Climate Catalyst has enlisted twenty young individuals aged 18-28, committed to actively advocating for various aspects of climate change impact.

The Youth Climate Catalysts (YCC) will be initiating different climate actions in their respective municipalities. They will collaborate with local governments to implement their ideas aimed at combating climate change through the initiation of diverse programs and action-oriented approaches. The programme recognizes the power of youth as agent of change for scaling up climate actions spelt out in national strategies and policies and prioritizes investing for enhancing youth’s capacity and coordination to harness their creativity and ingenuity to support national efforts.

The new cohort recently completed a three-day training from 24-26 January 2024, where they not only learned about environmental and climate change concepts but also equipped wihth skills necessary to identify local climate issues and formulate action plan with climate initiatives. Over the next six months, the YCC will be actively engaged in implementing these initiatives at the grassroots level.

The YCC is part of UNDP’s Integrated Environment and Climate Resilience Planning (ICRP) /Climate Promise project, funded by SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) which aims to enhance leadership and technical capacities of young people and help expand their network to act as climate catalyst for leading effective policy advocacy, identifying green solutions and scaling up climate actions at the community level.

Here are the list of our 20 youth catalysts for climate action.

1. Ubit Aryal, Putalibazar Municipality, Syangja
2. Namrata Puri, Putalibazar Municipality, Syangja
3. Nagendra Mahatara, Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, Dang
4. Samikshya Lamichhane, Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, Dang
5. Cyrus Man Nyachhyon, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Lalitpur
6. Sabina Shakya, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Lalitpur
7. Pujan Pokharel, Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi
8. Reshmi Gautam, Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi
9. Bikash Singh, Buddhiganga Municipality, Bajura
10. Rikesh Singh, Buddhiganga Municipality, Bajura
11. Sushmita Kumari Gachhadar,  Duhabi Municipality, Sunsari
12. Nikita Kumari Chaudhary, Duhabi Municipality, Sunsari
13. Sharan Kshetri, Madi Municipality, Chitwan
14. Karun Acharya, Madi Municipality, Chitwan
15. Samiksha Kafle, Waling Municipality, Syangja
16. Manish Koirala, Waling Municipality, Syangja
17. Rakesh Goswami, Lahan Municipality, Siraha
18. Rajesh Ranjan Yadav, Lahan Municipality, Siraha
19. Khila Rai, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang
20. Gayatri Rai, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang