SHIMON SUZUKI

Youth Advocate,
Future of Environmentalism

Shimon Suzuki is a 17-year old student living in Tokyo, Japan. He was born in New York, lived in Brazil for several years and now he attends an international school in Tokyo. Living in these diverse societies, Shimon experienced a range of natural and socioeconomic environments that at a young age impressed upon him the great range of human and ecological diversity. 

As a young man, Shimon is now engaged in multiple extracurricular activities outside of his studies, some directly related to the environment, such as the green club, and some leadership activities and positions, including the student council. He is also a serious athlete, and thus is a member of the Varsity Tennis team; however, skiing has become his true passion. 

When he was 7 years old, he was exposed to the environment through skiing for the first time. Skiing has changed his life - the thrill of speeding down the slopes and the raw interaction with nature while skiing is when he feels most alive. And yet, in his young life, he has already seen the environment around him changing, with shorter warmer winters, and realizes the urgency of solving climate change. As such, he is committed to raising awareness regarding this problem. Skiing led him to recognize the issue, but Shimon is keenly aware of the threat it poses to peoples’ livelihoods, biodiversity, the survival of coastal communities and a range of other human and ecological processes. 

Thinking ahead, Shimon wants to study both economics and environmental sciences in university and to continue developing his leadership skills and civic engagement. He hopes one day to apply this knowledge in order to contribute to sustainability and turn the tide against climate change and other environmental challenges.