67
• Providing technical and financial support to
Thunberg to ensure that she develops the necessary capacity and profile to remain a representative for the global Climate Change
Movement.
Reflection on the Youth Climate
Strike Movement
Over the past 25 years, the Global Climate
Change Movement was waiting for a figurehead
to champion its cause. Although the scientific
community has done its part in generating a substantial body of knowledge on global warming
and climate change across all sectors and locations, there will never be someone deemed credible enough for the world to trust the message
brought.
For all accord, Thunberg and her Climate
Strike Movement have and may continue to possess the capacity and integrity to deliver such
messages to all populations across the globe. Her
message and relatability resonated with all ages.
Thus far, she was able to achieve where scientists
and global leaders have failed over the past
25 years, capturing the hearts and minds. Climate
science has its levels of disparities in terms of the
quality of the scientific data provided and from
which perspective you are looking at these climate data. Over the years, the general populace
encountered difficulties comprehending the data
presented by scientists (due to the absence of climate change education in the school curriculum
in most developing countries). Many
policymakers compound this problem in developing countries charged with the development of
policies on climate change with no knowledge
nor skills to implement sound climate change
adaption and mitigation initiatives.
Social media and other creative methods dispelled relevant information to a large percentage
of the population informally to reduce the disparity in the comprehension of climate change
knowledge. The movement provided opportunities for millions of people from across the world
to join hands and raise their voices in defence of
the climate. The global climate strikes show how
much power people have when working together.
It also shows that while adults are more rigid and
inflexible, young people are more susceptible to
change and possess the will to make changes
happen. Thunberg inspired the youth across the
globe because they see her as one of their peers
and colleagues; the youth buy into Greta’s view
of “If grown-ups don’t care about my future, I
have to.”
The climate change threat is an existential
threat that must be dealt with forcibly. Therefore,
the young generation inspires hope that global
warming can be dealt with globally if all members
of society agreed to find solutions to address the
issues relating to global warming and climate
change. It also shows that when young people are
organised and willing to participate in such activities, they can have significant global impacts. The
rise of the climate strike movement coincides with
the growing body of scientific data on climate
change and the inability of global leaders to take
action to reduce the impact of climate change
despite the constant warning provided through the
enormous body of comprehensive reports. Over
the past decade, there have been numerous reports
which warn that the oceans are warming faster
than earlier predicted and that ice caps in the Polar
regions are melting more quickly than expected
(IPCC 2014; Abram et al. 2019). Emissions must
be curbed to 1.5 °C by 2030 for the globe not to
suffer from the severe consequence of climate
change. Yet the numerous global climate change
conferences organised by the UNFCCC and other
development agencies ended in chaos and nonactions. The youth showed us what is achievable
if we are serious about addressing the climate
challenge. Let’s see whether the political leaders
will take a leaf out of their books.
Climate change solutions are not short-term
“pie in the sky” projects; it is a long-term, fulltime occupation. The negotiations around COPs
had been going on for over 25 years. The slow
pace and fickle nature of these negotiations seem
like leaders will be involved in unproductive
deliberations for the following 25 years.
Procrastinating on appropriate actions on climate
change will be at our peril. This movement is in a
period of transition; therefore, to sustain climate
Reflection on the Youth Climate Strike Movement
• Providing technical and financial support to
Thunberg to ensure that she develops the necessary capacity and profile to remain a representative for the global Climate Change
Movement.
Reflection on the Youth Climate
Strike Movement
Over the past 25 years, the Global Climate
Change Movement was waiting for a figurehead
to champion its cause. Although the scientific
community has done its part in generating a substantial body of knowledge on global warming
and climate change across all sectors and locations, there will never be someone deemed credible enough for the world to trust the message
brought.
For all accord, Thunberg and her Climate
Strike Movement have and may continue to possess the capacity and integrity to deliver such
messages to all populations across the globe. Her
message and relatability resonated with all ages.
Thus far, she was able to achieve where scientists
and global leaders have failed over the past
25 years, capturing the hearts and minds. Climate
science has its levels of disparities in terms of the
quality of the scientific data provided and from
which perspective you are looking at these climate data. Over the years, the general populace
encountered difficulties comprehending the data
presented by scientists (due to the absence of climate change education in the school curriculum
in most developing countries). Many
policymakers compound this problem in developing countries charged with the development of
policies on climate change with no knowledge
nor skills to implement sound climate change
adaption and mitigation initiatives.
Social media and other creative methods dispelled relevant information to a large percentage
of the population informally to reduce the disparity in the comprehension of climate change
knowledge. The movement provided opportunities for millions of people from across the world
to join hands and raise their voices in defence of
the climate. The global climate strikes show how
much power people have when working together.
It also shows that while adults are more rigid and
inflexible, young people are more susceptible to
change and possess the will to make changes
happen. Thunberg inspired the youth across the
globe because they see her as one of their peers
and colleagues; the youth buy into Greta’s view
of “If grown-ups don’t care about my future, I
have to.”
The climate change threat is an existential
threat that must be dealt with forcibly. Therefore,
the young generation inspires hope that global
warming can be dealt with globally if all members
of society agreed to find solutions to address the
issues relating to global warming and climate
change. It also shows that when young people are
organised and willing to participate in such activities, they can have significant global impacts. The
rise of the climate strike movement coincides with
the growing body of scientific data on climate
change and the inability of global leaders to take
action to reduce the impact of climate change
despite the constant warning provided through the
enormous body of comprehensive reports. Over
the past decade, there have been numerous reports
which warn that the oceans are warming faster
than earlier predicted and that ice caps in the Polar
regions are melting more quickly than expected
(IPCC 2014; Abram et al. 2019). Emissions must
be curbed to 1.5 °C by 2030 for the globe not to
suffer from the severe consequence of climate
change. Yet the numerous global climate change
conferences organised by the UNFCCC and other
development agencies ended in chaos and nonactions. The youth showed us what is achievable
if we are serious about addressing the climate
challenge. Let’s see whether the political leaders
will take a leaf out of their books.
Climate change solutions are not short-term
“pie in the sky” projects; it is a long-term, fulltime occupation. The negotiations around COPs
had been going on for over 25 years. The slow
pace and fickle nature of these negotiations seem
like leaders will be involved in unproductive
deliberations for the following 25 years.
Procrastinating on appropriate actions on climate
change will be at our peril. This movement is in a
period of transition; therefore, to sustain climate
Reflection on the Youth Climate Strike Movement