Youth of India seeking climate justice

Climate change has seemingly been the hot topic of the environmental domain in recent years. Several debates and discussions have been pointing out the severity of the issue. Climate activists have been on a rise in the recent past because of how alarming the issue has become. In September 2019, an entire week is being observed as ‘The global climate strike’ as initiated by the young climate activist Greta Thunberg. ‘We will make them hear us’, were the words of Greta Thunberg at her speech regarding climate strikes in New York. Millions of Youth from all over the world are taking to the streets to show their support to this motion.  This is one of the largest climate rallies ever and hence its impact is unimaginable. So is the impact of youth.

With climate change strikes making waves all across the globe, it is safe to say that the issue has made its way into the minds of Indian youth. Several cities in India have had unprecedented amounts of youth stepping up for climate change action. With the determination to seek justice for the environment, the youth of Hyderabad stepped onto the streets to make their voices heard. “I’ve been following Greta Thunberg for a year now and this is not my first climate strike. Youngsters like us are becoming more and more aware about what the adults have been doing to our planet and how that’s putting our future at stake. it’s high time politicians and policy makers hear us and come forward to have a discussion with us. They need to tell us clearly what plans they have for our planet and climate,” says 16-year-old Nishat Anaira, a student of Vision Rainbow School, Hyderabad. [1]

Young school children from Pune, Maharashtra also took to the streets of India as a part of the global climate strike initiative. While the adults show their lax attitude towards climate change, the Indian youth is trying to take action. In March 2019 as well, several school students in the national capital took to roads to support Greta Thunberg’s #FridaysForFuture campaign to an impactful level. The national capital New Delhi, that records one of the highest pollution levels all across the globe had young school children raise their voices on the laggard climate action of the country. 

With the exponential rise in the pollution levels in the country, it is youth vs the government for India. The youth in India is continually propagating a raise in awareness regarding environmental issues. However, it can’t for sure be addressed as a full blown effort of the youth of India to protect the environment. A more consorted effort to inspire the youth to become cognizant of the changing environmental needs, and to work towards water conservation, pollution control, afforestation, recycling and other such aspects has to be engaged in.

[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/city-students-join-global-climate-strike/articleshow/71234198.cms