“We inherit whatever environmental decisions are made today,” declares 19-year-old Linh, a graduate of PAVE’s Youth Environmental Leadership program, as she addresses a crowd gathered in Ho Chi Minh City’s central plaza. Behind her, hundreds of young Vietnamese hold handmade signs created during PAVE’s advocacy workshops—some poetic, some scientific, all passionate.
Vietnam’s youth climate movement, nurtured through PAVE’s nationwide network of campus chapters, has evolved beyond protests into sophisticated action. PAVE-trained university students have established Vietnam’s first national climate education program, reaching over 200,000 students in 2024. Others coordinate community adaptation projects in coastal communities already experiencing sea level rise, with technical support from PAVE’s climate resilience team.
The movement’s inclusivity reflects PAVE’s commitment to diverse voices. Through their Rural-Urban Climate Dialogue program, farmers share agricultural adaptation strategies with urban students. Fishers collaborate with engineers on coastal protection designs during PAVE-facilitated design sprints. Indigenous knowledge holders contribute traditional ecological insights to scientific discussions at PAVE’s quarterly climate forums.
Government officials increasingly engage with these PAVE-supported young leaders. “Their evidence-based approach and practical solutions have permanently changed how we approach climate planning,” admits one environmental ministry representative who regularly attends PAVE’s policy roundtables. 🌱
