Paz Mattenet Riva (she/her) is a 27-year-old queer climate organizer, artist, and social anthropology graduate from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She currently serves as Head of Programmes and Strategic Planning at Youth for Climate Argentina, where she leads national and community-based initiatives that blend environmental education, youth leadership, and climate justice.

Over the past five years, Paz has designed and scaled programs that turn climate concepts into tools for action—especially for youth and communities most impacted by the crisis. She led the creation of the National School for Young Environmental Educators, a four-month program that trained 90 teenagers to lead 23 environmental projects in their communities. In 2025, she is expanding the program into the Sustainable Innovation Leadership Program, reaching five cities and 150 young people with training in design thinking, strategic planning, and local impact project development.

Paz is also the co-founder of Desenganche, a community energy justice initiative. The project began with the installation of solar panels in the informal neighborhood of Saldías and has since evolved into a broader effort combining technical training, energy justice workshops, and cooperative development. In its current phase, Desenganche is partnering with the University of Buenos Aires and NGO Atalaya Sur to co-develop affordable solar water heaters and train 20 residents of Villa 20 to build and install them—creating green jobs and local leadership pathways.

Her approach to environmental education is grounded in Argentina’s National Law of Comprehensive Environmental Education (2021), which defines EE as a transformative, political act rooted in Latin American environmental thought and the struggles of the Global South. Paz’s work is guided by three core principles:

• Contextual learning that connects climate issues to daily life;
• Participatory design that values diverse knowledge systems and community voices;
• Pathways to action that link learning to leadership, green skills, and systems change.

As a leader, Paz is known for her collaborative and care-centered style. She mentors young activists, co-designs solutions with communities, and builds shared visions that reflect local needs and aspirations. Whether guiding a teenager’s idea into a full-fledged initiative or redesigning national-scale programs, she brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, grassroots experience, and deep listening.

Paz is also a former fellow of the FXB Climate Advocates Program and Student Energy, and has led urban sustainability education through the “ABC de las ciudades” workshop for high school students. She is passionate about integrating informal neighborhoods (LINs) into urban planning with a climate lens, and is preparing graduate applications to deepen her expertise in urban innovation and policy.

As a 2025 EE 30 Under 30 awardee, Paz is excited to contribute grounded experience in participatory education, energy justice, and youth leadership—and to learn from a global community of changemakers reimagining environmental education for a just and sustainable future.