It is the year 2013 and the shocking news of flash floods and landslides wreaking havoc in the picturesque state of Uttarakhand have made it to global headlines. Among the thousands of distressed citizens of the state was a 5-year-old Ridhima Pandey. The intensity of the calamity and the fear of losing her parents had left a deep impact on her young, impressionable mind. The mighty Ganges that had so far been her place of solace and happiness had become an instrument of fear for young Ridhima.

Born to Dinesh Chandra Pandey, a lawyer and wildlife conservationist, and Vinita Pandey, a beat officer with the State Forest Department, Ridhima was perpetually surrounded with chatter about nature, its unending gifts to humans, and the insatiable greed of a few hundred damaging the ecosystem that supports a billion. Ridhima too was a curious child shooting questions to her parents about trees being cut blindly and animals dying unfairly.

It was no surprise then that the 2013 tragedy pushed Ridhima in a rabbit hole seeking information and knowledge about climate change. In doing so, Ridhima realised that children form the most vulnerable section of the population, and are subject to face the harsh future implications of climate change; yet, children are not a part of decision-making bodies against climate change.

In March of 2017, 4 years after the devastating calamity, 9-year-old Ridhima sensed the urgency of the issue and took immediate steps by filing a Public Interest Litigation in the National Green Tribunal, demanding a reanalysis of the existing environmental laws. This special court heard Ridhima’s arguments that elaborated how policymakers had only made promises on paper and not delivered as agreed upon the Paris Agreement.

After hearing the case for a year and a half, the National Green Tribunal dismissed Ridhima’s plea. However, that did not stop Ridhima from fearlessly voicing her concerns on national and international platforms.

In 2019, Ridhima was the only Indian to join Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and 14 other young activists to file a complaint with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. This complaint was raised against five respondent countries—Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey—touted as the largest emitters in the world. The complaint was also a protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis.

All of 15 years today, Ridhima has graced the pages of countless publications, conducted scores of talks and sessions, and has featured in nearly every list of young climate activist to take note of. She even featured in The Letter, a film that chronicles the journey of frontline leaders from their homes to Rome, where they indulge in an exclusive dialogue with the Pope.

In a recently shot short video from National Geographic, Ridhima enlists her Action Points as

  • Talking to children to make them aware
  • Reaching out to world leaders and influence their decisions and actions against climate change
  • Initiating appropriate action against activities and projects that are poised to harm the environment.

An impassioned Ridhima has professed at multiple platforms that the sole motivation for her pursuits is to live and let children like her live in a sustainable world.