MEET SEED’S PHOEBE DELANEY: THE NEXT GENERATION IS RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF CLIMATE JUSTICE FOR ALL

Travelling up and down Saltwater Country along the east coast of Australia, where the sand shimmers bright and the ocean feels endless, a young girl grew up with a deep love for the coastal nature. That girl is Phoebe Delaney, community campaigner and organiser with SEED, Australia’s first and only Indigenous youth climate network. Phoebe is a proud Quandamooka South Sea Islander woman living in Magandjin (Brisbane), dedicated to mobilising nature lovers to protect the Country she loves so dearly.

Today, she’s helping lead a movement that is reshaping the future of climate justice—one grounded in culture, community and courage.

As we celebrate NAIDOC Week 2025 and its theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” Phoebe’s story is a powerful reminder of what it means to stand up for Country and for each other.

From climate-affected schooling to climate leadership

Phoebe’s journey into climate activism began not in a classroom, but in the chaos of climate disruption. “In high school, we had so much time off because of flooding,” she recalls. “Our school would absorb kids from other schools. It was really disruptive.” Later, while studying policy at university, the 2019–20 bushfires tore through Phoebe’s father’s community. “He sent us texts of walls of fire,” she says. “It was terrifying.”

But it was a workshop on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) that changed everything. Hosted by Seed and the Pacific Climate Warriors, the gathering offered Phoebe something she hadn’t felt in a long time: hope. “It reaffirmed that First Nations people know what we’re doing. We know how to tackle the climate crisis.”

What is Seed Mob?

Founded in 2014, Seed is a grassroots network led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Its mission is to build the power of First Nations youth to protect land, water and culture from the impacts of climate change and extractive industries. 

Seed’s work spans the continent, from fighting fracking in the Northern Territory and WA to supporting communities resisting logging, mining and pollution. Through workshops, leadership training and direct action, Seed empowers young people to speak up, organise and lead.

Strength in community, strength in self

Phoebe’s first day with Seed was quiet — along with her confidence. But within two years, she was delivering keynote speeches, writing workshops and mentoring others. “Seed has been life-changing,” she says. “Now I get to give those opportunities to other young mob. It’s so rewarding.”

As a community campaigner and organiser, Phoebe has trained over 150 young people across the country. “One girl came in crying on her first day. A few months later, she was lobbying ministers in Parliament House. That’s the kind of transformation we see all the time.”

Phoebe’s work is grounded in the belief that everyone — whether they’re 8 or 80 — has a valuable part to play in nature’s future. “We’re always listening to our Elders, and we’re always listening to our young ones. That’s how we build strength.”

Vision of a just future for climate

This year, Seed is preparing for one of its most ambitious projects yet: a national summit of young First Nations people to develop a collective platform ahead of the COP climate summit in Australia. “We want every community to have a voice,” Phoebe says. “We’re training young mob across the continent. So that when COP comes, we’re ready.”

For Phoebe, this work is about more than policy—it’s about justice. “We’re fighting for the next generation, for this generation, and for our old people to see justice in their lifetimes. Our ancestors are with us. We have the blueprint for how to live with truth, healing, and justice.”

Legacy in action

Phoebe’s legacy is already taking shape in the lives of the young people she mentors, the communities she supports, and the campaigns she helps lead. But her inspiration comes from someone close to home: her late Auntie Sherry. “She just kept going,” Phoebe says. “She was realistically optimistic. Not the kind of optimism that ignores reality, but the kind that says, ‘Things will work because we’re going to do them.’”

That spirit lives on in Phoebe’s work. Whether she’s organising a protest, running a workshop, or supporting a young person through their first campaign, Phoebe is determined to bring that same personal investment in the power of people and the strength of community.

Why young mob must lead

Phoebe is clear: young people must have a say in environmental policy and legislation. “It’s our future. And it’s not a future problem—it’s a right now problem,” she says. “We’ve already lived through floods, fires and displacement. We’re not waiting for permission to act.”

She also believes young people bring unique strengths to the movement. “We’re connected. We’ve got social media in our back pockets. We can learn from other movements around the world in real time. And we’re not afraid to speak up.”

Fighting fracking, protecting water

One of Seed’s most powerful campaigns has been against fracking in the Northern Territory. Phoebe explains why this issue is so urgent: “Fracking uses an enormous amount of water, and it contaminates what’s left. There’s no safe way to dispose of it. And water is life—nothing on Earth survives without it.”

Seed’s documentary Water is Life tells the story of communities in Borroloola (Northern Territory) and Turtle Island (North America) who are resisting fracking and protecting their water. “We talk about the science,” Phoebe says, “but we focus on the impact. Because mob understand what it means when water is poisoned. It’s not just an environmental issue—it’s a cultural and spiritual one.”

In 2022, Seed and its allies successfully pressured Origin Energy to divest from fracking in the NT—a major win for the movement. “It was a huge victory,” Phoebe says. “We’re still salty they got to sell their licences, but it showed what’s possible when we organise.”

The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy

Phoebe Delaney is part of a generation that is not only inheriting the climate crisis—but leading the fight to solve it. Her strength comes from her community, her culture, and her Auntie’s unwavering belief in doing what’s right. Her vision is one of justice, healing and collective power. And her legacy is already growing in the hearts and minds of the young people she lifts up every day.

At WWF-Australia, we believe that people like Phoebe are the future of conservation. They remind us that protecting nature isn’t just about science or policy—it’s about people. It’s about listening, learning and acting together. And it’s about making sure that the next generation has everything they need to thrive.

Because when young mob lead, Country is in good hands.

You can find out more about the amazing work SEEDMob do here.