Yusuf Baluch
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Yusuf Baluch | |
|---|---|
| یوسف بلوچ | |
 | |
| Born | 2004 (age 21–22) |
| Years active | 2020-present |
| Known for | Climate activism |
| Movement | School Strike for Climate |
Yusuf Baluch (Urdu: یوسف بلوچ; born 2004 in Kech, Balochistan) is an indigenous climate justice and human rights activist.[1] He started activism after experiencing the first hand impacts of the climate crisis in his community.[2] He is an organizer with School Strike for Climate[3] where he organizes with the regional chapter of Fridays For Future Balochistan.[4]
Yusuf has been campaigning against the fossil fuels companies and banks such as standard chartered.[5] He has also been vocal against the multi billion project between China and Pakistan CPEC due to its huge environmental impacts on indigenous communities in Balochistan.[6] He attended COP26 along with other youth activists from MAPA (most affected people and areas) to make sure the most marginalised voices are at the table.[7][8][9] He spoke at the overheated event, a six-day climate event in London presented by Billie Eillish during her Happier Than Ever World Tour.[10][11]
He participated in the UNFCCC SB58 as a youth activist in Bonn, Germany. His presence aimed to drive impactful change by urging influential leaders to take urgent action. He advocated for a complete and urgent transition away from the fossil fuel industry. Through his advocacy, he highlighted the pressing need to address climate and related issues. He participated in the people's forum held in Basel, Switzerland, where numerous activists convened to advocate for an improved financial regulation system and to voice their protest against the Bank for International Settlements.[12]
Yusuf Baluch, together with Maria Reyes and Eric Njuguna, organised various workshops discussing climate narratives and the decolonization of the climate movement in the global north, held across Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
In September 2024, Yusuf participated in the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he spoke at a side event, calling on states to take urgent action. Additionally, he addressed an event organized by the Baloch National Movement, highlighting the deep connections between the climate crisis and broader social injustices. Yusuf also pointed out that the climate crisis is a consequence of colonialism, leading to human rights violations like enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other abuses in Balochistan.[13][14]
In November 2024, Yusuf Baluch attended COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a member of the Angry Alliance delegation. He delivered a speech during the People's Plenary, emphasizing the intersection of climate justice and human rights. The Angry Alliance is a coalition of grassroots youth organizations advocating for the inclusion of marginalized voices in climate negotiations.[15]
Baluch's participation in COP29 aligns with his ongoing activism, which includes organizing with Fridays For Future and speaking at various international platforms to highlight the impacts of climate change on indigenous communities.[16]