Climate Justice – The Final Call
‘Our planet is at the edge of an environmental breakdown. Polar ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising and unseasonal storms and tsunamis are battering our planet. It is as if nature is finally saying that our time is up and is hitting back.’
Time and again, our frailty is exposed when confronted with nature’s fury. But instead of taking note, our energy hungry economies continue to raze virgin rainforests, burning fossil fuels choke the skies, industries spew out millions of tonnes of chemicals poisoning rivers, lakes and oceans — all in the name of development.
The 2018 IPCC report clearly says that it’s the final call for us. The report warns that the world is now completely off track, heading instead towards 3C. Keeping to the preferred target of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels will mean “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. The world cannot meet its target without changes by individuals, you, me, everybody. This is no longer remote science or something for only governments to take action on. It requires collective action, at every level. It requires a change in lifestyle, a change in consumption patterns and most importantly a change in mindsets.
The disastrous impacts of climate change affect marginalized and weaker sections of civil society more severely. Thus children and women face the brunt of its impact and all climate resilience policies need to have them at the core of their implementation. Our generation is the last one that has the opportunity to reverse climate change impacts. Hence, young people must have a defining say in the process of agenda setting, policy-making and implementation at all levels – local, regional and international.
The United Nations has taken note of the fact that climate change has a disproportionately adverse impact on children’s health, education, and development. It is indeed heartening to note that people are now coming out on to the streets in their thousands demanding climate action and asking policy makers to take immediate actions to mitigate climate change. It is our future that is at stake and it is time for young people to take a leadership role in stopping the environmental degradation of our planet and create the Future We Want.
The battle against climate change is one that we cannot afford to lose . Our survival depends on it.
Kind regards,
Kehkashan Basu
Feeling inspired to act? Join us on the 22th of April for World Earth Day!