Max Han Kai Ding, an MSc student at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), has been recognised on the Sustainability Leadership Youth A-List 2025 – a prestigious list honouring young leaders across the Asia-Pacific who are driving impactful environmental change.
Now in its sixth year, the Youth A-List celebrates under-30 changemakers who are pushing the boundaries of sustainability through innovation, advocacy, and grassroots leadership. This year’s honourees include youth tackling fast fashion, creating sustainable materials, and championing climate justice – all against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and growing environmental threats.
Max, who is studying the MSc Environmental Change and Management, and who is originally from Malaysia, co-founded Youths United For Earth (YUFE) at just 19. What began as a grassroots student movement has since evolved into one of Malaysia’s most influential environmental youth organisations. Under Max’s leadership, YUFE has led over 70 campaigns, reached more than 30,000 people, and built the country’s largest sustainability mentorship programme, with a strong focus on Indigenous and marginalised youth.
Alongside community outreach, Max is also involved in policy and legal advocacy – including co-drafting Southeast Asia’s first Environmental Human Rights Framework and advising UN agencies and ASEAN policymakers.
As he continues his studies at the ECI, Max remains committed to advancing “decolonised environmentalism” – an approach that prioritises local knowledge and community-rooted solutions. He said:
We as Southeast Asians have this sacred tie to our land. This reaffirms my belief that we can collectively build a just and regenerative world through climate and environmental justice today.”
Find out more about the Sustainability Leadership Youth A-List 2025
Read Max’s blog: Building bridges between rights and resilience in Southeast Asia
Read Max’s blog: Lessons from Nobel Week: Love, craft, and purpose