Shillong, Aug 7: Carmel Fedrick Malngiang, a young climate advocate from Wahkaliar village, a remote village near Sohra, has been selected as one of 30 ‘Climate Champions’ under the second cohort of the National Youth Climate Consortium (NYCC), a flagship initiative by Bring Back Green Foundation, supported by YuWaah by UNICEF India.
This fellowship recognises leaders between 18 and 29 years who are committed to building climate-resilient communities through local advocacy and action. The selected cohort represents 28 states and Union territories across India and reflects a strong commitment to diversity and equity, with over half of the fellows identifying as women, and more than a third belonging to Adivasi and indigenous communities.
As part of the fellowship journey, Malngiang attended an intensive training of trainers (ToT) from July 11 to 13 in Bhopal. The training was designed to equip fellows with knowledge and tools around stakeholder engagement, storytelling, policy engagement and youth-led advocacy.
During the six-month fellowship, each Climate Champion will lead a grassroots project focused on one of four key areas including awareness and capacity building, youth mobilization, research, or innovation, while directly engaging local communities and working with government stakeholders to ensure lasting impact. Fellows receive microgrants, mentorship and support from a 18-member Technical Resource Group comprising grassroots experts, youth-led organisations, and sector specialists.
The past two cohorts of the NYCC Climate Champions Fellowship have, until now, impacted over 100,000 youth and community members across India, demonstrating the power and potential of youth-led climate action. Additionally, representatives from past cohorts have received the opportunity to attend global platforms, including COP29 and UNEA-7, where they advocated for locally rooted solutions and equitable climate finance. Building on this momentum, the 2026 Climate Champions will also get an opportunity to represent India’s youth at international spaces such as COP31, ensuring that grassroots voices influence global climate discourse.
Malngiang, will focus on river conservation, improve waste management and foster responsible tourism in the Sohra region, aiming to strengthen youth leadership and sustainable action at the local level.
