Tariq Lawal - Climate Action in the Age of Social Media | Bluture (Ep. 03)

How can social media, humor, and creativity be tools to lead climate action? Guest: Tariq Lawal — Founder, Lagos Island Literacy Project; UNICEF Nigeria Young Influencer; Africa’s Most Globally Awarded Teenager In this episode, we hear from climate activist Tariq Lawal, recognized by the UN and the Princess Diana Award, to explore how art, storytelling, and digital campaigns are transforming climate activism. From launching initiatives at a young age to building community-driven movements, Tariq shares how Gen Z is reshaping environmental advocacy. Discover how poetry, social media, and projects like the Lagos Island Literacy Project connect climate change, environmental justice, and youth empowerment. Learn practical strategies to inspire action, engage communities, and make climate issues more relatable. If you're passionate about climate activism, youth leadership, or using creativity for impact, this episode is for you. Turn passion into impact and join the next generation of climate leaders! What you’ll learn in this episode: › The role of social media in democratizing youth climate voices › Environmental justice and why climate change doesn't affect everyone equally › The Lagos Island Literacy Project and community-centered education › Why humor and relatability matter more than academic language for Gen Z › Collective vs. individual action — why we need both › How to make climate conversations more relatable, engaging, and accessible for wider audiences One Action to Take: Be a ray of sunshine in your community — and connect with young people on their level. Use humor, use social media, use whatever language they actually speak. Tariq Lawal is an award-winning young leader, emerging entrepreneur, and multifaceted creative who is deeply committed to advocating for people and the planet. He grew up in Lagos Island, a coastal area in Lagos State, Nigeria, which has profoundly shaped his relationship with the ocean and environmental justice. He is driven to harness innovation, advocacy, and creativity to inspire action and address urgent societal and ecological challenges. His passion for the ocean has fueled relentless efforts to promote ocean conservation and protect marine ecosystems, particularly through his role as Nigeria’s 2024–2025 representative on the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council. In his local community, he also works to build ocean literacy among children and young people through his initiative, the Lagos Island Literacy Project. In 2024, Tariq won the #BeWildForNature Competition hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for his app concept, iConserve (now Let’s Conserve), which aims to mobilize action to protect the natural world. The concept also earned him finalist placements in both the 2025 Earth Prize and the National Geographic Slingshot Challenge. A recipient of the prestigious Princess Diana Award and the Young Planet Leader for December 2024, Tariq has been honored for his contributions to protecting the blue planet at both local and global levels. He currently serves on the Youth Board of The Earth Prize and has previously interned with Ocean Uprise. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:29 Tariq Lawal 01:10 Where did your journey start? 05:07 What is the role of social media and digitalization in the future climate problems? 08:10 How can we inspire more action in the younger population? 11:25 How do you share information without discouraging people from facing these major environmental challenges? 15:36 What are your goals for yourself, your projects, and the community as a whole for the future? 18:14 What can the listeners do to contribute to the solution? 20:34 The importance of collective action 24:28 Outro To Learn More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariq-lawal https://www.tiktok.com/@iamtariqlawal?lang=en