Nurul Habaib Al Mukarramah (Lulu) (she/her)

How are you using education to build more sustainable and equitable communities? Tell us about your EE work and impact. 

My initiatives are designed to reach diverse communities and create measurable outcomes. I co-founded the UNDP Youth4Climate award-winning faith-based climate education programme in North Luwu, Tarbiyah for Climate, which was selected for a flagship showcase alongside pre-COP30. Through REWILDING Minds, we connected 65 young people from Indonesia and Dubai with nature, biodiversity, ecological literacy, and locally driven climate solutions. Earth Digital Champions strengthened the digital climate storytelling and action skills of 32 champions across 21 cities and regencies spanning five Indonesian islands. The programme also supported three environmental initiatives through seed funding and five scholars who completed UNITAR carbon and climate courses. Earlier, Teaching Environmental Responsibility and Awareness (TERAS) trained 70 students in climate mitigation and adaptation, including composting and eco-enzyme production, enabling them to promote sustainable practices in their schools. As a World Bank Global Youth Climate Network Ambassador, I launched Voice on Climate, reaching 13,508 people through five episodes featuring climate leaders. Beyond programmes, I have helped catalyse 20+ grassroots environmental movements across Indonesia and contributed to 20 research articles and book chapters on international environmental and climate change law. 

Tell us about your journey to where you are today. What inspired you? What has your path been like? 

I grew up and began my advocacy in Makassar, a coastal city where the climate crisis is witnessed through island reclamation, declining fisherfolk livelihoods, and the vulnerability of small islands. It placed the greatest burdens on communities with the least influence over decisions. These realities led me to commit to writing, speaking, and acting on climate during my first year of law school. In 2023, I met two friends who shared a vision for a better climate, and with only $300 and a Google Form, we began bringing together people from different backgrounds to initiate collective climate action. That modest experiment grew into the Semesta Pulse Network, a community spanning four countries that has reached more than 5.000 people through six initiatives.

Moving to Jakarta revealed another inequality: limited access to understandable information, particularly on the just energy transition. In response, I co-initiated the Energy Transition Study Club (KLASTER), which has democratized access to this knowledge through 16 in-person discussion groups and empowered 700 members to bring their concerns and solutions into policymaking spaces.

My journey has taught me that leadership is not about standing at the centre, but building bridges across regions, generations, sectors, and belief systems.

How can people learn more about or support your work? 

Knock on my door if you are interested in building something together for a better climate and environment through my Instagram @habaiblulu. If you feel like starting to learn about climate change and environmental advocacy but you don’t know where to start and who to talk to, please connect with my communities’ Instagram, @semestapulsenetwork and @klaster.idn. We will ensure you a safe space to learn and grow, and we can help develop your own initiative to make a positive change in your community!

A Little More About Me

What (or who) keeps you hopeful for the future?
The supportive circle and peer support of people who believe that making change for a better climate is never impossible.

What song or artist has uplifted you lately?
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto 2 has been my daily reminder that every monumental work is preceded by the journey of a constant struggle, and no one shall ever give up.

What book, film, or art piece has had the greatest impact on you?
Long Walk to Freedom, an autobiography of Nelson Mandela and Terra Viva by Vandana Shiva. Their remarkable courage left a huge mark in my climate activism journey.