changingclimatesforchildren

[changingclimatesforchildren]

Climate Change, a Rundown

Greta Thunberg, the Luxury of Climate Activism, & the Lucky Ones

“There is no planet B,” said Greta Thunberg on September 28th, 2021 on stage at the Youth4Climate gathering in Milan, “There is no planet blah, blah, blah.” Thunberg, a world-renowned climate activist at only eighteen years old, leaves no stone unturned, no relevant data point unmentioned, and no pandering politicians unaccountable. She caught the eye of the public when her viral 2019 UN address drew compliments and criticism alike due to her tenacious spirit and impassioned remarks toward those world leaders she, as well as many others in her age group, regarded as sedentary. Many praise Thunberg for her emphatic activism as she demands attention for the ongoing climate crisis. Some, however, are less enthused. Common protests portray Thunberg as immature and temperamental, a teenage girl with a psychological condition, better suited for a classroom than in front of the United Nations. I think Greta Thunberg would agree with the latter as I once more recall the speech that hurtled her to fame and ignited critical new discussions about climate change. In her opening remarks, she conceded that she should have been in school. She should have been taking advantage of her education. Instead, she was called to fight for a cause she believed in, -a cause I hope you can see is worth believing in as well. While Greta Thunberg crosses oceans on sustainable vessels and makes waves with her relentless calls for change; while I sit in a library with an abundance of time, memories of kayaks and Christmas on a dying estuary, and all the resources at my disposal to become more than a human echo chamber of empty promises; while you come across this post because you have access to the internet and a mobile device; there are children in developing countries who do not have the luxury of fighting against the climate crisis, just as the same children may be too hungry to fight hunger. This crisis grows more overwhelming and inexorable with every passing day and every unpassed law. When I feel like a guillotine of uncertainty is poised over my aspirations, I remember one of Thunberg’s resonating statements among many other such statements, and I am drawn to learn more about how I can get involved. Because much like Thunberg said, “I am one of the lucky ones”.

Children of the Climate Crisis: Why is it important?

As is the case in other matters of global significance, the climate crisis involves a seemingly endless stream of discourse and debate. Most notable in popular discussion are the dilemmas presented by the economic framework of a country and the variability in international politics. The climate crisis is a gargantuan, multifaceted issue, and no one can feasibly deny the challenges faced by different countries in trying to slow or reverse it.

Yet, challenges don’t negate the urgency with which the matter should be treated. If anything, these obstacles to resolving the climate crisis only increase the need to work at a solution. The lack of urgency stems from a lack of firsthand experience. It is all too easy to feel like you and I have all the time in the world when we live with air conditioning to beat rising temperatures, considerable healthcare standards to fight diseases, a good justice system to oppose conflict over resources, and clean, running water and food to sustain us in times of hardship. So many of us live our lives where climate change is an abstract concept, but for about two billion children, it is a simple, cruel reality. So what exactly is the nature of the situation?

A staggering majority of all children on earth reside in developing nations.

Developing nations tend to have poor relative infrastructure as the countries must evolve new methods of subsistence or find a way to profit in an age of globalization. As a consequence, they often experience conflict that threatens whatever fledgling political or economic system is in place.

This conflict further prevents the development of a strong central government, which prohibits the development of adequate healthcare, community planning, and equitable political expression among citizens in turn.

Climate change becomes a dangerous foe to the already vulnerable population. Rising temperatures increase the duration and severity of droughts in arid climates while increasing the frequency of devastating storms in tropical climates.

When these disasters disrupt a fragile political environment and economic system, the cycle of conflict is perpetuated, and conflict has a quantifiable impact on the mental health, education, and physiological development of children. For instance, children exposed to conflict in Burundi earned twenty-one percent less capital as adults because of malnutrition, a deficit in schooling, or other variables.

Children faced with these horrific conditions generally do not have the privilege or opportunities available to be outspoken proponents for the betterment of the climate despite being direct victims of its worst products. They are instead tasked with surviving day-to-day in places where droughts, typhoons, poverty, and armed conflict are equal realities.

What can I do to help?

It may seem as though one person cannot help fight the climate crisis, especially if they have no involvement in their local, state, or national government. But you and I can make a difference! Whether you seek out stories of those affected by disasters at a young age and help share them with the world, donate five cents to an environmentally-focused NGO, or simply pledge to learn more about how climate change features in the lives of children today, you can play an active role in making the world a cleaner, cooler, happier place for future generations. Here are some ways you can help:

If possible, call or email your state legislators and encourage them to back an environment protection bill. By helping your own country move forward with the fight against the climate crisis, you are helping the world as well.

Donate to credible organizations that help with humanitarian relief such as the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.

Learn more about the breadth of climate change and how it will impact certain areas in the coming years. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, provides such information on their website.

It is especially important to find data relevant to climate change so you can better understand how humans play a part in furthering the damage, and more importantly, how you can play your own part in helping to prevent it. Professional organizations such as TED, academic publications like Princeton’s Future of Children, and specific concrete examples of climate related issues similar to this explanation of the carbon cycle from NASA can all provide valuable insights into both how we are hurting the planet and how we can help sustain it for years to come.

Lastly, you can help by simply engaging with this topic. I invite you to reblog this post, to discuss with me or with others in the comments, or to contribute your own knowledge of the subject. Every action we take right now might not present a solution, but taking no action at all affects more than just right now.

Sources linked:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/28/blah-greta-thunberg-leaders-climate-crisis-co2-emissions

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle/page5.php

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2016/05/04/faculty-experts-diverse-fields-explore-impact-climate-change-children

https://www.ted.com/playlists/78/climate_change_oh_it_s_real

https://www.noaa.gov/climate

https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief.html

http://www.jstor.org/stable/43755230

http://www.jstor.org/stable/25097785

https://www.humanium.org/en/children-world/

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/23/763452863/transcript-greta-thunbergs-speech-at-the-u-n-climate-action-summit