Elizabeth Wathuti is an environmental conservation and climate activist. She is the founder of the Green Generation Initiative, and her work extends to leading and establishing the Wangari Maathai Foundation’s Youth Hub.
Elizabeth’s commitment to the environment also led to her appointment as a member of the Counties Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Upper Tana Nairobi Water Fund.
She is also the youngest presidential appointee in Kenya, serving as a commissioner representing civil society and youth at the Nairobi Rivers Commission.
Wathuti has extensive experience as an environmentalist, having served as the Global South Youth Co-chair for the COP26 Civil Society and Youth Advisory Council during the United Kingdom (UK) Government’s COP26 summit.
She recently organized and spearheaded the lead coordination of the first and largest-ever African Youth Climate Assembly (ACYA). In September 2023, Elizabeth Wathuti, a 28-year-old climate activist, became the winner of the prestigious Time100 Impact Award.
The journey to receiving the award started in 2016 when she founded the Green Generation Initiative in 2016, which has since planted more than 30,000 trees in Kenya.
The environmentalist describes her goal as to sow the seeds of climate consciousness and advocacy in other young people, teaching them to "clean their air, grow their food, and create their own green spaces"
Wathuti has earned international commendations for her efforts to bring different species of fruit trees to schools in Kenya and for encouraging students to interact with nature.
In September 2023, through the Wangari Maathai Youth Hub, she was the lead coordinator of the first-ever African Youth Climate Assembly.
While receiving her Time100 Impact Award in Singapore, Wathuti remarked that her dream was to one day be the United Nations Secretary-General.
“This recognition is not just about me; it's a spotlight on the energy, innovation, and resilience of a generation determined to shape a brighter future for our communities and the planet,” her acceptance speech read in part.