The climate crisis is not only a story about carbon emissions, policies, or global agreements; it is fundamentally a story about people—their health, their livelihoods, their dreams, and their future. As the world grapples with the escalating threats of climate change, leaders who understand this human dimension and dedicate their lives to bridging science, policy, and action become indispensable.
Among these leaders are Dr. Saroj Pachauri and Dr. Ash Pachauri, who guide the Protect Our Planet (POP) Movement with vision, compassion, and a relentless commitment to empowering young people. POP, founded by the late Dr. R.K. Pachauri, the Nobel Laureate who chaired the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for over a decade, embodies the conviction that the future of climate action must be shaped by the youth of today.
In this exclusive feature for Remarkable Leaders Shaping the Future of Climate Action 2025, we explore the personal journeys of Dr. Saroj and Dr. Ash, their leadership within POP, and their collective mission to build a truly intergenerational and inclusive climate movement that blends science, health, innovation, and hope.
How Experiences Shaped Their Roles at POP
Every leader carries with them the weight of their past experiences—moments that shape their convictions and carve their paths forward. For Dr. Saroj Pachauri, her lifelong work in global health provided profound lessons about the intimate link between human well-being and the health of the planet.
“My work in global health has shown me how deeply connected human well-being is to the health of our planet,” she reflects. “From reproductive health to infectious diseases, I have seen how climate change amplifies vulnerabilities, especially for women, children, and marginalized communities. These experiences have strengthened my conviction that addressing climate change is central to protecting lives and livelihoods. At POP, I bring this perspective to ensure our climate action work also speaks to human health and dignity.”
For Dr. Ash Pachauri, the journey was marked by an enduring passion for young people and their role in shaping the future. “My journey has always been centered on young people—their potential, creativity, and urgency,” he explains. “In global policy spaces, I often witnessed decisions being made about the future without the active participation of those who would inherit it. This pushed me to create avenues for young people to lead, not just follow, in climate action. My role at POP is to amplify the voices of young people and build bridges between generations, sectors, and regions.”
Together, their perspectives—rooted in health and youth leadership—create a unique synergy that drives the ethos of the POP Movement.
The Birth of POP: A Legacy of Leadership
The vision for POP was born from the leadership and legacy of Dr. R.K. Pachauri, whose contributions to climate science and policy left an indelible mark on the world. Having served as Chairman of the IPCC for 13 years and Vice Chairman for 5 years before that, Dr. Pachauri was at the forefront of shaping global understanding of climate change. In 2007, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the IPCC, alongside Al Gore.
Despite these achievements, Dr. Pachauri recognized that scientific evidence and policy decisions alone would not suffice. He became convinced that real change could only come from a groundswell of knowledge-inspired action led by youth. His principle, “youth inspired by knowledge,” remains the cornerstone of POP’s philosophy.
Young people, he believed, although the least responsible for climate change, bore its greatest burdens. Yet, through education and empowerment, their values and behaviors could transform families, schools, and communities. To realize this vision, he co-founded the POP Movement with his son, Dr. Ash Pachauri, and later established the World Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF) as POP’s sister organization.
While POP empowers young people to take action, WSDF connects them with leaders in policy, business, and science, bridging generational divides. Today, POP is led by both Dr. Ash and Dr. Saroj Pachauri, continuing Dr. Pachauri’s mission of intergenerational solidarity. By 2026, POP will mark its 10th anniversary on Earth Day, celebrating a decade of youth-led climate leadership.
Intergenerational Collaboration: A Non-Negotiable
The POP Movement thrives on the principle that intergenerational collaboration is not optional—it is essential. Experience brings wisdom and context, while youth bring urgency and creativity. Together, these elements create transformative action.
This balance was central to Dr. R.K. Pachauri’s vision. By establishing both POP and WSDF, he designed platforms where knowledge could flow across generations, empowering youth to take ownership while benefiting from the wisdom of seasoned leaders. At POP, initiatives are deliberately structured to model this exchange, ensuring that collaboration, not competition, defines the relationship between generations.
As Dr. Ash emphasizes, “When these strengths converge, transformative action becomes possible.”
Health and Climate: The Inseparable Nexus
The climate crisis is also a public health crisis, and Dr. Saroj Pachauri has been a global voice in highlighting these connections. The impacts are already visible—rising respiratory illnesses from air pollution, vector-borne diseases moving into new regions, malnutrition driven by food insecurity, and the escalating mental health toll of climate anxiety.
“Mental health, in particular, is emerging as a crisis of pandemic proportions,” Dr. Saroj warns. “Communities—especially young people—are struggling with the uncertainty and trauma of climate-related challenges.”
POP addresses these urgent issues through education, research, advocacy, and innovation. The organization is currently editing its fifth publication on climate and health, while its POP Academy delivers world-class courses to equip young leaders at the nexus of health and climate.
One of POP’s pioneering innovations is POPPix (mypoppix.com), an award-winning app dedicated to climate and mental health. Available in 129 languages and even accessible via WhatsApp, POPPix helps young people build resilience and access community support. POP also works with partners worldwide on projects ranging from clean cooking technologies to sustainable food systems, ensuring that climate solutions are also health solutions.
Empowering Youth as Leaders
At the heart of POP’s mission is youth empowerment. According to Dr. Ash, three strategies have proven most effective:
- Trust—Young people must be given real decision-making power, not just symbolic roles.
- Mentorship—Pairing youth with experienced leaders accelerates their growth.
- Ownership—When youth design and drive initiatives themselves, the results are authentic and lasting.
POP embodies these values by adopting participatory approaches led by and for communities. This ensures that local knowledge and priorities shape local solutions, fostering true ownership. Education and mentorship are core to POP’s philosophy, and the organization sees itself as a global family, where young people are nurtured to lead with confidence.
The POP Festival: A Celebration of Hope
Among POP’s many initiatives, the POP Festival stands out as a living embodiment of its values. This yearly gathering brings together young leaders with Nobel Laureates, world leaders, policymakers, scientists, business figures, and artists from around the globe.
At the Festival, youth are not passive participants; they set the agenda, present innovations, and collaborate side by side with global leaders. The format is deliberately creative—combining technical discussions with workshops, art exhibits, films, music, and dance. It is a celebration of solidarity, showing that climate action can be serious, joyful, and inspiring at the same time.
Beyond the Festival, POP continues to advance its mission through collaborations worldwide. From youth-led clean energy projects in Latin America, to climate-health research partnerships with universities in India, to regenerative agriculture projects in Africa, POP ensures that local actions remain youth-led, participatory, and globally connected.
Challenges and Opportunities
The road ahead is not without obstacles. The biggest challenge remains mobilizing action at the scale and speed required. Climate change is accelerating, while political will and resources often lag behind.
Yet, the greatest opportunity lies in the very networks and platforms that youth are adept at using—digital technologies, global collaborations, and green entrepreneurship. Over the next five years, POP envisions breakthroughs in climate education, technology-enabled collaboration, and innovation-driven solutions that cross borders and generations.
Innovation at the Core
Innovation is at the heart of POP’s strategy. Through platforms like POPPix, the organization is leveraging artificial intelligence to guide young people through climate and mental health challenges, providing interactive learning and actionable solutions for everyday life.
Generative AI is also being used to create POPPix films and books, producing high-quality, cinematic, and educational content adaptable to diverse regions and languages. At the POP Academy, adaptive digital platforms enable young people to access mentorship, leadership training, and cross-border collaboration.
POP’s approach to innovation is not confined to technology alone. It extends to creative storytelling, gamified learning, and co-created community projects, ensuring that education and action are culturally relevant and globally scalable.
Mentorship: The Bridge Between Generations
For both leaders, mentorship is deeply personal.
“Mentorship is about listening, guiding, and standing beside young leaders as they chart their own paths,” says Dr. Saroj. “It is the bridge between generations.”
For Dr. Ash, mentorship is about creating safe yet challenging spaces. “It is about unlocking potential and ensuring continuity, resilience, and wisdom in the climate movement.”
This philosophy forms the foundation of the POP ecosystem, where mentorship is integrated into every initiative to nurture leadership organically rather than enforce it.
Looking Ahead to 2030
By 2030, the Pachauris envision POP as a household name synonymous with youth-driven climate leadership, intergenerational solidarity, and tangible global impact. Their aspiration is for the world’s 1.8 billion youth to lead climate solutions that protect both the planet and all species that inhabit it.
Their message is clear and urgent:
- To policymakers—Trust young people and act with urgency.
- To educators—Integrate climate and health education into every learning system.
- To young leaders—Your voice matters, your actions count, and together, we can change the world.
Conclusion
In a world often overwhelmed by the scale of the climate crisis, the work of Dr. Saroj and Dr. Ash Pachauri offers not just a roadmap but also a source of hope. The POP Movement is more than an organization; it is a global family, a platform, and a catalyst for intergenerational solidarity and youth leadership.
As 2025 unfolds and the urgency of climate action intensifies, the story of POP and its leaders reminds us that the solutions we seek are not beyond reach. They lie in the hands of young people, guided by the wisdom of experience, and powered by the collective will to protect our planet.
The Pachauris emphasize that the future is not merely to be foreseen, but to be actively shaped through our actions today. And with the POP Movement, that creation is already underway.