Climate action is only negotiated in boardrooms or at global summits it's shaped by the people bold enough to step up and make their voices heard. That is the driving force behind Ditebogo Lebea, 29, the implementation manager for the Article 6 Connect programme at GIZ South Africa, where she leads efforts to strengthen carbon markets under the Paris Agreement.

With a BCom from the University of the Witwatersrand and an honours degree in development studies from the University of South Africa, Lebea has built a career around making climate policy more inclusive and practical. She led the development of South Africa's first Youth Climate Action Plan and helped coordinate youth contributions to the City of Johannesburg's Climate Action Plan, ensuring young people had a meaningful seat at the table.

Her influence extends beyond South Africa. As a junior climate negotiator at the UN Climate Change Conference, Lebea contributed to discussions on gender-responsive climate action and capacity building. She also chairs the National Research Foundation's Global Change Science Committee, bridging research and policy.

Driven by a belief that climate solutions must work for everyone, Lebea continues to connect government, business and civil society to turn ambitious climate commitments into action while inspiring more young people, especially women, to lead South Africa's climate future