Why We Should Join the Global Climate Strike?

Last year the world was taken by storm by a daring 16-year-old who wanted to change the way we view our current climate crisis. “Our house is on fire, let's act like it”, the words that captured the world's attention came from a teenager who speaks more sense than most of our world leaders combined and who has dared to challenge the current status quo.

This strike is unique as it involved the powerless, the children and teens under 18, all of whom yield no power when it comes to policy decisions but who’s future will be drastically affected by the outcomes of these policies. ‘Protect. Preserve. Fund.’, the three words that define this campaign serve to remind us that we must:

  1. Protect the nature that we have

  2. Preserve the ecosystems before they’re gone

  3. Fund projects that do not destroy the environment.

If only if it were that easy because these three tactics will only help if we stop using fossil fuels. But alternatives are available, it is only us that needs to take charge to make the shift.

So getting back to the title of this article, why should we in India join this revolution?

While development may be the primary goal for our nation we need to remember that we India, have the largest young population on the planet, and our population doesn’t seem to be decreasing anytime soon. This coupled with the fact that we have a long coastline and an economy that heavily relies upon the natural weather patterns for water, we will be one of the worst affected by the ravages of climate change.

So what now? Do we wait for our children to suffer or do we demand that policy change happens now?

In a time when we are losing forests at the rate of 27 football fields per minute and 18.7 million acres a year, young climate warriors like 16-year-old Greta Thunberg emerge as ‘rays of hope’ for us. But let us remember, we all need to join in this movement. Change does not come free, and our inaction will be paid for by our kids. So let us all pledge to join in the movement, after all, we don't want to be remembered as the generation that didn't care.

Anoushka Viegas

Programme Coordinator