Toby Thorpe

Advocate for youth empowerment and climate action

2021 TAS Young Australian of the Year

Toby Thorpe is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and climate action. Through his initiatives, Huonville High School became the second Australian winner of the international Zayed Sustainability Prize – launching Tasmania as a global leader in renewable energy innovation.

Toby organised the first state-wide climate leaders’ conference in three Tasmanian cities, attracting more than 350 student participants. Now in its third year, the Global Energy Award-winning program empowers young people to lead sustainability projects that will contribute positively to the environment and their communities.

Toby has twice led the Tasmanian Youth Delegation, as part of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. He worked tirelessly to enable students to meet with Australian Government representatives as well as international changemakers such as Greta Thunberg.

Toby is executive director at the Climate Justice Initiative, which runs in-school workshops to help young people understand their power to make a positive impact and connects them with activists around the world.