“If you don’t fight, at least have the decency to respect those who do,” was a solemn declaration by Jose Marti, a Cuban journalist who believed in having a voice, where others chose to be silent. 2019 has seen the rise of Greta Thunberg scolding world leaders for their lack of accountability in climate change. Humanity needed to hear the urgency, the urgency not only of this generation but of many to come. Her message is clear, climate change is a reality, and we must take action now.

Greta Thunberg’s words echo those of millions all over the world spreading climate change awareness. It has been said many times, but knowledge is power. From 2020, Italian students will take 33 hours of climate change lessons a year, that being one lesson per week. Lorenzo Fioramonti, the Italian education minister holds that it’s a prerogative to “make sustainability and climate change the center of the educational model”. So why is education as a form of awareness so important? It starts with the center of society, people.

Emily Atkin while looking into consumer culture in the United States notes that the most important sectors of the economy are all consumer driven. These include agriculture, transportation, industry, electricity and commercial and residential sectors. Most importantly, these sectors lead in greenhouse gas emissions with an estimated 10 %( about 4.5 gig tons) of global greenhouse gas emissions worldwide in the worlds most populated cities.

An example of consumer driven industries pioneering dirty fossil fuels is the banking sector. An estimated $1.9 trillion was pumped into the fossil fuel sector between 2016 and 2018. The funding expanded projects in new coal, oil and gas projects, all practices which speak of a climate disaster especially with a view of the Paris Agreement. Choosing green banking, where we can save or invest money without secretly funding fossil fuels has never been more important.

The effect of climate change awareness can be seen in a report about Behavior and Climate Change from Cardiff University by Ken Peattie. The report clearly shows that people engaged or exposed to climate change awareness changed their consumption habits in favor of sustainable living, both on an individual basis and a national basis. Some reactions are also institutional. For example, Canada plans to ban single use plastics as by 2021. In Kilifi, Kenya, the use of plastic is also being discouraged and plastic bottle collection sites set up publicly.

For the world to reduce global temperatures to below 1.5 Degrees Celsius, 50% of consumer based emissions have to be reduced by 2030. It is recommendable for countries around the world to take up climate change education if they have not already. By teaching climate change to young children, the dynamics of younger generations will change. Younger generations will be more environmentally conscious, thus as the balance of power shits to a younger demographic, sustainable consumer habits will gain leverage through humanity.

 REFERENCES:

https://newrepublic.com/amp/article/154147/climate-change-symptom-consumer-culture-disease 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2010.500136

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/tool-pushing-people-to-take-action-climate-change

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/48776655_Behaviour_and_Climate_Change_Consumer_Perceptions_of_Responsibility