World’s Youth Want Big Benefits Of Climate Action

Climate Action: Young People Are Making Themselves Heard. Now They Must Be Listened To. We all need to do more to promote and amplify the voices of the world’s young people.

Michael Sheldrick and Martijn Lampert, July 25, 2022 (Global Citizen)

“…[Climate action as a positive vision for the future should support the young people who are] using their own experiences to lead movements…[The world’s most vulnerable societies stand evermore on the precipice of climate calamity…The consequences will be most acutely felt by young people…[A]ction is being led by supposedly ‘disengaged youth’ from the world’s developing regions, who represent 88% of the global youth…[Their voices form a rallying cry demanding] action for the planet…[F]or too long, the voices of many of these citizen advocates have been ignored and misrepresented on the global stage…

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Too many feel [climate action] is a war in which there will inevitably be winners and losers…[and that the] needs, hopes, dreams, and aspirations of billions of people in poorer communities is of secondary concern…[Many also suggest] young people should put their concerns in life on hold to tackle climate change…[Any] climate narrative focused on limits to economic growth and future pessimism…[fails to] reflect the huge economic opportunities climate action presents, which many young people are among the biggest proponents of…[C]ontrary to the pessimistic presentation of climate action as a zero-sum economic game, young people in developing regions represent] a new pro-climate constituency impatient for change…

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…[The global young believe climate crisis solutions] will undoubtedly create new opportunities to improve the health, well-being, and livelihoods of one’s community, creating new jobs and economic opportunities, transforming and improving cities, clean air, supporting families, and ultimately raising living standards using new technologies…Viewed in this vein, action on climate change is an integral part of the broader program of societal and economic change, transition, and transformation that young people are hoping their leaders deliver on…[and] prevent the cynical appropriation of young peoples’ aspirations…” click here for more

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