While participating in events and initiatives concerning climate change, Jash Modi, a class 10 student from the city would not have imagined himself to be the recipient of a prestigious US trip.
Modi, a resident of Vile Parle, has an opportunity now as the lone face from Mumbai to be part of an Indian delegation at the esteemed Student Climate & Conservation Congress (Sc3) 2023 Cohort in the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) - the premier environmental training facility of the U.S. Department of the Interior. It will be organised by the Green Schools Alliance (GSA) between July 9 to 15.
"When the lockdown started I became more inclined towards climate change and conservation projects. I was able to form a nature club at my school and had the opportunity to work on an energy conservation project wherein we focused on saving electricity in our school," said the 15-year-old who studies at SVKM's Chatrabhuj Narsee Memorial (CNM) School in Vile Parle West.
Previous experiences to be useful in US trip
Modi, who will be joined by two other individuals from different parts of India, got selected for the session after his enthusiastic participation in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) WildRoots Youth Climate & Conservation Fellowship Programme.
The experiences at IUCN left a massive impact on Modi who learned innovative aspects of conservation which are essential to the concept of climate change.
"I had the opportunity to go to states such as Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh for different sessions on our current situation with regards to the environment. We learned about sustainable fashion, the impact of climate change on aquatic life, and more," added Modi.

Jas Modi |
Delegation to get 1 and a half hours to make their case
With his time with IUCN and school experiences expected to be handy, Modi now has the responsibility to represent India on the big stage.
"Our delegation will have 1 and a half hours to do the presentation around climate change in India with each member of the delegation having ten minutes to do their respective intros," added Modi, who believes students from 26 countries across the globe will join the session.
‘We need Earth not the other way round,’ says Modi
According to Modi, Earth's 'capacity' to tolerate humans and its 'selflessness' is what inspired him to be involved in one of the most pressing issues in the current scenario.
"The earth has been through the Ice Age, extinction events, and many other phases which have built its resilience. I have understood that it is us who need the earth, not the other way around," asserted Modi, who added that Covid was an example that nature can give back if it's not taken care of.
Younger role models head the fight against climate change
Individuals, addressing climate change issues on public forums, come from all age groups with the younger cohort being the most active. Be it 20-year-old Swedish Greta Thunberg or 11-year-old Indian Manipuri environment activist Licypriya Kangujam, Gen Z individuals dominate positions as role models in the fight against climate change.
Such a phenomenon has also led to criticism over their age not being appropriate enough to 'fight the bigger fight as they are not adults.'
"When young people speak about such issues instead of adults, we get encouraged to take steps for our planet. We infact live in an age where mental health and climate change are important issues which concern younger individuals the most," stated Modi, who believes problems raised by role models like Thunberg are often politicised for personal gains.
Modi sees future in climate activism
Modi's visit to the US won't be the be-all and end-all of his commitment to conservation.
"I do see a future in climate activism and plan to push sustainability and conservation in the future as well," added the student.