About the GCA CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) serves as an international hub for catalyzing climate adaptation efforts. Acting as a solutions broker, GCA partners with public and private entities at all levels—from global to local—to advance climate-resilient solutions. Through its work, GCA fosters collaboration and shared learning to build a future that withstands the impacts of climate change. Central to this mission is its Youth Leadership Program, which places young people at the forefront of adaptation initiatives worldwide.

In September 2021, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, the CEO of GCA, unveiled the inaugural CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel. Since then, annual panels have been convened to empower young leaders globally and provide strategic insights to the organization’s leadership on engaging youth to champion the climate adaptation agenda. The panel draws young experts from six global regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Oceania.

Achievements of the Youth Advisory Panels

The advisory panels play a pivotal role in organizing GCA’s renowned Youth Adaptation Forums, which gather momentum ahead of key events like the Africa Climate Summit. In 2022, seven regional forums spanned diverse locations from Senegal to Costa Rica, engaging over 2,300 young participants. These efforts culminated in the Youth Dialogue on Adaptation Action.

By 2023, the panel’s influence had grown, mobilizing more than 13,500 young people through 12 regional forums. The 2024 panel introduced thematic adaptation forums, attracting 15,300 participants and leading advocacy efforts during the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day at COP29. Their initiatives included high-profile events and a global petition urging leaders to prioritize adaptation finance.

Call for Applications: Youth Advisory Panel 2025

During the Youth Exchange Dinner at COP29, GCA announced its search for 10 exceptional young leaders to join the CEO’s Youth Advisory Panel 2025. The application period runs from November 15 to November 24, 2025.

The 2025 panel will consist of 10 gender-balanced members representing Africa (five sub-regions: Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and Central), Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Small Island Developing States. This composition ensures an inclusive and diverse representation of young voices within the global adaptation movement.

The first advisory panel, introduced at COP26 in Glasgow, was instrumental in advancing youth involvement in adaptation efforts, coinciding with global commitments to double adaptation financing for developing nations by 2025.

How to Apply

If you are a young changemaker passionate about addressing climate adaptation challenges, this is your opportunity to join the GCA Youth Advisory Panel 2025 and shape the global adaptation agenda.

Scroll down below for more details and click on the official link attached to apply for this opportunity