Climate Change
Climate Change refers to a sustained and significant alteration of the Earth's climate, which can include shifts in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and other climate variables over a long period of time. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere are the main causes of climate change. These gases trap heat, which results in a warming effect that can have significant effects on the environment and human societies. These effects can include rising sea levels, more frequent and extreme weather events, changes in agricultural output, and changes in the security of food.
One of the most important worldwide concerns facing humanity in the twenty-first century is without a doubt, climate change.
There are five influential youth climate activists who are leading the conversation on climate change: Greta Thunberg, Isra Hirsi, Xiye Bastilda, Vanessa Nakate, and Licypriya Kangujam.
Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish Activist who gained notoriety worldwide by organising the 2018 August school strike for climate change. Thunberg has given speeches at several international gatherings and has been a strong advocate for the need to address the climate catastrophe immediately. Greta has received notoriety on a global scale for her work in bringing attention to the urgent need for action in response to climate change. She has made a number of contributions to the conversation on climate change, including:
Motivating Youth-Led Demonstrations: Greta founded " the Fridays for Future movement", a worldwide youth-led initiative that aims to pressure governments to take more aggressive action on climate change. Thousands of young people all over the world have been motivated by this campaign to participate in school strikes, marches, and rallies calling for climate change action.
Greta has delivered stirring addresses at numerous international events, including the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Climate Change Conference, urging for urgent and immediate action to address the global catastrophe.
Using social media to create awareness: Greta has encouraged people to take action by using social media sites like Twitter and Instagram to raise awareness about climate change. On these channels, she has a sizable following that enables her to efficiently reach a global audience.
Creating a Worldwide conversation: Because of Greta, the topic of climate change has become a key priority for people, companies, and governments all across the world. Her advocacy has pushed climate change onto the political agenda, resulting in changes to policies and raising public awareness of the problem.
Finally, Greta Thunberg's deeds have helped increase awareness of the urgent need to combat climate change and have motivated young people all around the world to take action to save the environment.
Isra Hirsi
Isra Hirsi is the co-founder of the US Youth Climate Strike, a grassroots group that promotes climate change and urges young people to take action on climate change. Isra Hirsi is an American climate justice activist best recognised for her work, she is also the daughter of Congressman Ilhan Omar, Hirsi has been a proponent of environmental justice and intersectionality in the climate change movement. She has stressed the significance of involving disadvantaged groups in the campaign for climate action. Hirsi has taken the following actions to drive the conversation on climate change:
US Youth Climate Strike co-founder: In 2019, Isra Hirsi and other young climate activists co-founded the US Youth Climate Strike. The group organises frequent climate strikes and protests across the country and strives to inspire young people to demand action on climate change.
Isra Hirsi has been a significant proponent of climate justice, bringing attention to the disproportionate effects of climate change on low-income and communities of colour. She has underlined the necessity for laws that give these communities' needs top priority and deal with environmental racism.
Xiye Bastilda
Xiye Bastilda is a Mexican-born climate activist who is an outspoken supporter of indigenous rights and climate justice. In 2019, she assisted in planning the first-ever youth-led climate strike in New York City. She is a co-founder of the Re-Earth initiative, an organisation dedicated to strengthening and involving local communities in combating and tackling climate change and has influenced the discourse on climate change in a number of ways, including:
She has collaborated with climate activists all over the world to highlight the voices of young people in the international climate movement such as Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate.
Youth-led climate strikes have been successfully organised globally thanks in large part to Xiye. Young people from many backgrounds have come together during these protests to call for immediate action to combat climate change.
Vanessa Nakate
Vanessa Nakate is a climate activist from Uganda and the founder of the Rise Up Campaign. She has long argued for climate justice and the necessity of taking swift action to address the continent of Africa's climate problem. She has also been a key advocate for the need for the climate movement to prioritise the viewpoints and experiences of people from the Global South.
Vanessa Nakate has taken part in a number of international climate conferences, including the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain. She has spoken out on various platforms about the urgency of combating climate change and the need of elevating the perspectives of those from the Global South.
Licypriya Kangujam
Licypriya Kangujam is an 11-year-old Indian climate activist who has been speaking out for climate action since she was 8 years old, and is a strong proponent of the need for immediate action to address the global climate problem. Also, she has been a vocal supporter of youth participation in the climate movement and the rights of children.
Through increasing awareness, promoting climate action, and amplifying the voices of young climate activists from all over the world, Licypriya Kangujam has contributed significantly to guiding the conversation on climate change.