At COP30 in Belém, where outcomes are shaped as much in the corridors as on the official agenda, SDG News is guided by a correspondent whose understanding of the climate negotiations has been forged over a decade of global youth leadership.
WATCH HEETA’S LATEST COP30 INTERVIEWS:
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Heeta Lakhani first entered the UNFCCC process at COP21 in 2015, part of a rising generation determined to secure a more ambitious and inclusive climate agenda. She went on to serve as the Global Focal Point for YOUNGO from 2020 to 2021, helping steer the official youth constituency through a period of profound transition in global climate diplomacy. In that role, she became a trusted bridge between young advocates, national negotiators, and UN leaders, someone who understood both the technical stakes and the political dynamics shaping decisions.
In 2022, Heeta Lakhani co-founded the Youth Negotiators Academy, which has since trained more than 300 youth negotiators from over 60 countries. Many of these young leaders are now inside COP30 representing their governments, coordinating civil society coalitions, or advising ministers. It is an emerging ecosystem that Heeta helped build and now watches step confidently into positions of influence. Her perspective at COP30 is grounded in an understanding of how these leaders were prepared, how they approach negotiations, and how they are beginning to shift the process from within.
Beyond the negotiating halls, Heeta is also the Founder and Director of The ClimAct Initiative in India, which supports young people and vulnerable communities in understanding intergovernmental processes and designing local climate solutions. Her work has consistently connected global policy to the lived realities of those most affected, reinforcing the importance of leadership that is both informed and grounded.
Today, as Chief Correspondent for SDG News, Heeta Lakhani brings unparalleled insight into how decisions are formed, who is shaping momentum, and which emerging leaders are driving meaningful change behind the scenes. Her reporting from Belém captures a full arc, from the evolution of youth advocacy to the moments where those same advocates now influence policy at the highest level.
Follow SDG News for Heeta’s latest dispatches from COP30 and for the stories of the decision makers and frontline leaders shaping the next chapter of global climate action.
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