The Frontline Generation

What happens when half the world's population is under thirty, but climate philanthropy still sends less than one percent of its funding to youth-led organizations? In this episode of The Understory, recorded live during London Climate Action Week, hosts Dr. Sweta Chakrabordi and Jad Daley sit down with Samrah Khan, (Chief of Staff, Climate Cardinals) and Zainab Bie (Asia Pacific Director, Equal Right, and co-founder of Impactship) to ask who the climate movement keeps leaving out of the room, even when it claims to be making space for them. They don't hold back. From the absurdity of climate science being published almost entirely in a language most of the world doesn't speak, to the blunt admission that young people are still invited into these rooms as victims with a story to tell rather than experts with a say in the agenda. They also map out a path forward: decentralizing power and funding toward the communities actually doing the work, treating unconditional cash transfers as a form of dignity and not just aid, holding philanthropy accountable to a real number instead of a vague commitment, and recognizing nature-based solutions as one of the most accessible entry points for youth leadership in the Global South. What you'll hear in this episode: 0:00 - Welcome & Introductions 1:55 - Why This Episode: Passing the Mic to Youth Leaders 4:25 - Zainab B: Cash Transfers as Climate Justice in Tuvalu 9:09 - Samra Khan: Breaking Language Barriers with Climate Cardinals 13:06 - Can AI Translate Climate Justice? Technology and Cultural Context 18:10 - Whose Story Is It? What's Still Missing from the Movement 24:13 - The Risk Question: Why Youth-Led Organizations Struggle to Get Funded 31:16 - From Tree Planting to Ocean Restoration: Youth and Nature-Based Solutions 35:13 - Cash, Conservation, and Economic Stability in Kenya and the Pacific 40:09 - Closing Reflections: Institutionalizing Youth Leadership The Understory is the podcast built on the belief Jad shares in this episode: that failure's not an option, so if the movement doesn't have a solution yet, it's time to get busy building one. 🌿 Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. 💬 Tell us: what would it actually take for philanthropy to fund youth-led climate work like it means it? Guests: Samrah Khan — Chief of Staff, Climate Cardinals; a former conservation specialist (AmeriCorps / Climate Impact Corps) who helped grow the language-justice nonprofit from a $500 Google Doc into an organization that has translated more than four million words across 100+ languages. Zainab Bie — Asia Pacific Director, Equal Right, and co-founder of Impactship, a community of ~2,000 young changemakers across the Global South. An economist by training, she works on unconditional cash transfers and direct-access climate finance, with active projects in Tuvalu and Kenya. The Understory is brought to you by Terraformation and We Don't Have Time. Hosted by Dr. Sweta Chakrabordi and Jad Daley. #ClimateJustice #YouthLeadership #ClimateCardinals #UnconditionalCashTransfers #NatureBasedSolutions #ClimateFinance #LondonClimateActionWeek #Podcast #Terraformation #ClimateAction