Economic headwinds. AI doomsaying. Climate cataclysms. At a time when the world seems inundated with problems, many might feel overwhelmed. Not our latest cohort of Future 50 leaders. These rising project professionals are remarkable not only for their instinct to act but also their determination to create meaningful impact.

Take Kevin Gemayel, PMP. In the wake of the devastating Port of Beirut explosion, he wasted no time jumping into projects to restore the landmarks shattered by the blast. Or Fred Camus Yeomans, who’s connecting and cultivating the next generation of mining project leaders in Chile to deliver not just economic development but long-term sustainability. Another prime example: Sarah Castle, a U.K. architect who manages to infuse inclusivity and some much-needed delight into even the most utilitarian infrastructure projects. And there’s Từ Đăng Khoa, PMI-ACP, PMP, building a vibrant community of project leaders in Vietnam—all learning from each other.

No industry is untouched by the can-do spirit and innovative ideas of these rising leaders. In energy, Shangqin Yi, PMP, has flexed his project management skills to dramatically accelerate the engineering digitalization at one of Beijing’s largest wind turbine manufacturers. In financial services, John Ndubuisi, PMP, is helping solidify Nigeria’s rep as a fintech innovator with change-ready teams fluent in agile ways of working. And in construction, Nanma Gireesh saw how flooding was affecting her home state of Kerala, India, and set out to change the way we build—and think—in the face of climate change.

All of these project professionals share instincts to question the status quo, to push for innovative solutions, to experiment and to iterate. While some people might be content for others to take the lead, it’s clear that the latest Future 50 honorees aren’t willing to wait around.

Case in point: Sophia Kianni, a young climate activist. Frustrated that so much climate research isn’t accessible to the 75% of the world that doesn’t speak English, she responded by launching a volunteer network of translators that now spans more than 40 countries. “If a ragtag group of teenagers that organize through social media can do this work, imagine the impact that a concentrated effort of governments, scientists and corporate leaders would have,” Kianni told us. “There has never been a better time to engage and inspire people through storytelling.”

We couldn’t agree more.