In Medellín’s informal hillside settlement of La Honda, danger is a daily reality. Heavy rains trigger landslides that sweep away homes, and floods leave communities in chaos. But amid this vulnerability, young people are rising to lead change.

Somos Por Naturaleza, a youth-led collective, is tackling climate risk where authorities often look away. Their mission is simple yet transformative: to protect the most marginalized—refugees, migrants, and low-income families—who bear the brunt of disasters. For them, climate justice means more than reducing emissions; it means ensuring inclusion, dignity, and survival for those left at the margins of policy.

Through community mapping, training sessions, and dialogues with local authorities, these youth are pushing for disaster planning that accounts for every resident, not just those in officially recognized neighbourhoods. Their activism speaks to a larger truth: resilience must be built from the ground up, led by those who know the risks first-hand.

What’s happening in La Honda reflects a wider trend across Latin America, where young people are connecting the dots between climate breakdown and social justice. By placing vulnerable groups at the heart of adaptation, they are redefining what it means to build safer, fairer cities in the age of climate crisis.

Sources: UNDP Climate Promise and Somos Por Naturaleza on Instagram