IE GPA x RAIA Summer Research Program 2022

This page displays six climate leaders that students from IE University’s School of Global and Public Affairs have researched under RAIA supervision and with RAIA’s methodology ahead of the COP27. Each profile is divided into introduction, their Stake, their defining moment, their solutions, their impact and conclusion. “Their stake” analyses the key environmental challenges and issues a leader faces, “their defining moment” highlights the key moments that are pivotal to a leader becoming a climate leader, “their solutions” examines the policies and initiatives a leader provides  and “their impact” analyses how effective a leader implements the proposed solutions and how impactful they are. 

Mohamed bin-Zayed

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (MBZ), president of the UAE and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is a significant climate leader in the MENA region.Two main reasons illustrate the importance of MBZ’s environmental agenda. Firstly, the UAE is one of the main petroleum producers in the world, recognizing the effects of climate change and preparing for the consequences- although it is against their direct interests. Secondly, MBZ is spearheading a leadership role for the UAE in the Arab world on environmental issues, when this was not initially a policy priority. To find out more, read Quynh Dinh Da Xuan’s report.

Luisa Neubauer

Environmental Activist
Luisa Neubauer

Greta Thunberg and Luisa Neubauer are two of the most known faces of the youth-led and -organized climate movement Fridays For Future (FFF). To find out more about them, read Covadonga Gafo’s report.

Abiy Ahmed

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed has announced a wide array of climate policies for Ethiopia aimed at economically developing the country. Ethiopia is a country very vulnerable to global warming and short-term climatic threats, its current development does not give much room to respond appropriately.  

Annalena Baerbock

Annalena Baerbock is the first female foreign minister of Germany and the first foreign minister who appointed global warming as her central policy issue and pledged to put international climate policies front and center.

Under the leadership of Ayuda en Acción (Aid in Action), the IE School of Global and Public Affairs joined the pan-European 1Planet4All project that empowers young visionaries to make an impact in the ongoing climate crisis.

1Planet4All is a project that seeks to promote the active participation and commitment of European youth in the fight against the climate emergency. It is part of the DEAR program of Education for Development and Awareness, an initiative of the European Commission Commission and with the support of 14 development and humanitarian aid NGOs—including Ayuda en Acción (Aid in Action)—the 1Planet4All project seeks to bring together young individuals to help achieve the 2023 objectives.