Hello,

I am Nathan, 20 years old, and a student from France. I live in Grenoble, a city surrounded by the Alps mountains, where the effects of climate change are twice as intense as elsewhere. Year after year, I have seen my mountains changing and my city experiencing terrible heatwaves. I decided to stay and study Politics and International Relations. I have always been passionate about environmental issues which I consider being my drive. My internships led me to better understand how politics and advocacy work: from city level with my green mayor, to working with an MP on dam privatisation and ecological transition, to the European level in a Green NGO. When I was studying in Edinburgh, I studied environmental policy where I connected with young climate advocates and I realised that a lot of young people are committed to fight against climate change and to protect the environment. I also realised that this fight cannot be separated from the one for social justice and a fair ecological transition. All these experiences convinced me of one thing: there is room for youth-led advocacy.

I believe that being the External Relations Officer of YEE is a great opportunity to better represent the voice of youth-led environmental NGOs in Europe. As a board member of the European Environmental Bureau and member of the European Youth Forum, I will advocate for better youth engagement on environmental issues. I think YEE is an amazing place to empower youth on environmental issues to make a change. This mandate is a new adventure for me, and I will try to do my best, always with a smile!

Kindly,

Nathan