Brazil, 28
Renata Koch Alvarenga is an award-winning Brazilian climate advocate recognized globally for her leadership in feminist climate action, youth empowerment, and climate resilience. At age 22, she founded EmpoderaClima, a pioneering youth-led organization advancing women’s leadership and climate justice across Latin America and the Caribbean. For a decade, she has championed intersectional, gender-just climate solutions, leading her team in launching multilingual educational initiatives, advocacy campaigns, and climate resilience projects in communities throughout Brazil.
In 2021, Renata became the first young Brazilian to speak at the opening of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65), addressing world leaders alongside the UN Secretary-General. That same year, she was nominated by Malala Yousafzai as a young leader to watch at COP26. She is a Generation17 Young Leader, a global initiative by UNDP and Samsung recognizing changemakers accelerating the SDGs.
Renata has joined high-level youth councils and leadership programs with UN Women, the World Economic Forum, Bloomberg, and The New York Times. She was featured on the cover of Forbes Under 30 Brazil in 2024 for Social Entrepreneurship, awarded Estée Lauder’s inaugural Beautiful Forces grant, and named to the North American Association for Environmental Education’s 30 Under 30 list.
She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University, and has worked on international climate and development policy at the United Nations Youth Office, the World Bank, and the UK Government.
