Nikhil Kamath: Simplifying Climate Communications and Building Stronger Youth Communities 🇮🇳 (AEYN Mentor Feature)
As the consequences of climate change become more and more visible with every passing day, many people across the world are still unaware about the ill-effects of this crisis. The problem is in the way the climate crisis is being communicated and how mainstream media still doesn’t give much importance to the issue.
Nikhil Kamath is an author and a communications strategist who works with businesses for their branding and content strategies. Born and raised in New Delhi, India, he is extremely passionate about solving the problem of climate communications to make it easier for everyone to understand the crisis our planet is facing. As a student, Nikhil was introduced to climate change and sustainable development issues in school, but the course books only gave 50-word definitions to both concepts, which he felt was insufficient. “The climate crisis is a very serious issue and if we cannot convey the seriousness of it all through our education systems, then we are letting down an entire generation that will actually live through the consequences of climate change,” he says.
With support from his teachers and other mentors, Nikhil was able to get involved in awareness activities and climate dialogues for the youth on the city and state level. He was attending college when the UN SDGs were adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda. Since then, he has been an active advocate of SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13: Climate Action. “We cannot fight all battles, and the SDGs give us an opportunity to pick the causes we’re passionate about and collaborate with others to bring about a change,” he said, sharing his thoughts on the global goals and how they provide a path of action.
Over the years, Nikhil has worked closely with various organisations, namely Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Climate Investment Funds (CIF), and represented India at the global stage. In 2020, he was trained by the Former Vice President of the US, Al Gore during Climate Reality Leadership Corps, where he is now engaged as the National Coordinator - Communications at The Climate Reality Project India & South Asia Branch. In 2021, Nikhil joined the Global Youth Climate Network at the World Bank Youth as a Climate Ambassador.
When asked about some of the struggles he had to face during his initial days of working in the climate and sustainability space, he stated, “when you don’t have a science background, people often don’t take your views seriously.” He points out to the fact that understanding the certain technicalities was difficult and that’s what inspired him to work towards simplifying how things are communicated in the area. “It’s such a dynamic field we work in and every day some new development comes up. You have to be on your toes all the time to keep a tab on things,” he added.
At AEYN, Nikhil has worked with the core team to brainstorm and create content for various channels over the last two and a half years. When asked to share a piece of advice for other Asian environmentalists, he said, “Working in this space can get a bit overwhelming at times. You have to make sure that you’re surrounded by the right kind of people who support you through this journey.” He also emphasised on the need to be constantly learning about the developments happening across the world. “There is a plethora of resources available at the click of a button, make the most of it and work on a cause that resonates with you the most. Don’t try to fight all battles at once,” he said.
As a long-term goal, Nikhil explained that he wishes to focus on community building as an aspect of climate action to build stronger climate resilient communities. “I also want to work with people who are focusing on climate justice and learn more about policies and environmental law,” he concluded.
Written by the AEYN Core Team
