Ridhima Pandey

Event Description

Ridhima Pandey is a prominent Indian environmental activist from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, widely recognized for her fierce advocacy against global climate inaction. Deeply affected by the devastating 2013 Uttarakhand flash floods at a young age, she channelled her experiences into legal activism by filing a landmark petition against the Indian government at the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2017 when she was just nine years old. She rose to global prominence in 2019 when she partnered with Greta Thunberg and 14 other young global activists to submit an official complaint to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, accusing major economic nations of failing to protect future generations from the climate crisis.

Summary

Her extraordinary contributions to the youth climate movement have earned her widespread international acclaim, including being named to the BBC 100 Most Influential Women list and receiving the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice. Complementing her on-ground advocacy and leadership roles with organizations like the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), she balances her public platform with structural academics.

Award Details

ELLE Sustainability Awards