Today was Young and Future Generations Day at COP25 and the youth climate leaders were out in full force. There were plenty of side events led by youth leaders, an award ceremony for the Global Youth Video Competition, and even an orchestra where the youth played instruments made out of recycled materials.
I attended an event called A Climate-Just Future for All Children and Youth with a panel of five youth climate activists who spoke about their experiences and shared their joys and frustrations. It was truly inspiring to hear their stories and be in a room of people who wholly supported them and their endeavors. The five panelists ranged in age from 14-25 and had an incredible range of jobs and professions. Penelope is a UNICEF ambassador alongside Alejandra who works for UNICEF, Joshua is getting a master’s degree and is the executive director of a climate action organization, Green Africa Youth Organization. Marinel is a licensed social worker and Angela is with 350.org, an international organization that does grassroots organizing.
When asked why these panelists were inspired to take action in climate change, two answers were prominent. The first is that they love life and the beauty of the world. The second, and perhaps the more personal, is that they are afraid for their future and the futures of their children. Joshua explained it as ‘a dream where we can see we are going to fall off a cliff or get into an accident and we can’t do anything to stop it but be afraid.’
When asked why they think it is that the worlds’ leaders are not listening to these youth activists the way they should, the panelists agreed that it was because they see them as ‘just children.’ They are judged because of their age, size, or lack of experience and that political leaders “know what’s best because they are older.” Joshua commented that “if they know what’s best, why haven’t they done that already.” Marinel also called politician’s to task by commenting that “it depends on the political will of the leaders, they need to have the strength to do what’s right rather than what they get money for.”
The moderator of the panel in his opening statement said that “These youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today,” and I can’t agree more. For decades, for far too long, those who run our countries have done nowhere near enough to stop climate change, despite the science warning us to do so for many years. Now that the global temperature is rising, sea levels are rising, storms are increasing, food insecurity and lack of water is increasing, it is our youth who will inherit this world we have made for them. It is time for us to not only support them in their activism but to step up ourselves and make a greener, cleaner world for the future but especially for those who will be left behind to live in it.