While climate change may not be as important of an issue for the older generation, it is most certainly a pressing matter for the young. The youth realize that they will be the ones who will have to live with the catastrophic consequences of climate change as the impacts are scheduled to be felt the most around the middle of this century. Given the prospects for danger to life and limb as well as large economic impacts, today’s youth certainly have an incentive to make their voices heard on the issue. Some estimates state that after the year 2030, it will be too late to reverse the effects of climate change. Here are some examples as to how the youth are leading the way in raising awareness of climate change.
Greta Thunberg
A 16-year old Swedish girl has become one of the poster children for climate change activism. Thunberg began to boycott school on Fridays last year to protest in front of the Swedish Parliament. She argued that it was pointless to study and work towards the future since the future is jeopardized by climate change. Thunberg has inspired numerous youth school strikes over the issue. In addition, she has addressed numerous world forums and has advised bold action to address climate change. Instead of being punished for boycotting school, Thunberg has even received the high honor of a Nobel Prize nomination for her actions. Thunberg has promised to continue her protest every Friday until Sweden manages to comply fully with the Paris Agreement.
Belgian Students March
Belgian students have organized weekly marches to call attention to the issue of climate change. The demonstrations started in January 2019 and have taken place every Friday. These marches show no signs of abating due to the commitment of the students. Inspired by Thunberg, the students walk out of school every Friday for their protests. Some of the students have been supported in their actions by their parents and their school administrators. Other students have risked punishment for missing classes. Brussles is the headquarters for the European Union, and many EU officials have shown their support for the students by attending the protests. Rusty Tweed is a company that is heeding the students’ call for action on solar change by offering solar solutions that help with global warming by cutting down on the use of electricity. Rusty Tweed cares about the future of the planet and wants to be a part of the solution to global warming.
Worldwide Student Protest
Thunberg’s activism inspired similar worldwide action on March 15. Approximately 1.6 million students around the world walked out of class to stage their own protest about climate change. The protests took place in over 2,200 towns and cities spread across 120 different countries. The strike is just the latest in student activism and was inspired in part by the successful March For Our Lives, which protested gun violence. In the wake of this protest, youth are planning sustained and even more dramatic action to protest climate change.
Youth are motivated to spur change to help arrest the trend of global warming. Increasing climate-related catastrophes threaten the future of the planet and will make for a more inhospitable and dangerous world when today’s youth become tomorrow’s adults.
