Climate Change Is Real And Not Slowing Down
It should go without saying that climate change is real, and quickly moving towards irreversibility. It is truly awful that many world leaders would say otherwise, and this type of language, especially from leaders, is dangerous.
California has recently been experiencing one of the deadliest wildfires in its history due to extremely dry conditions caused by climate change that has resulted in 63 deaths and more than 600 people missing. President Trump has stated on his Twitter pertaining to the devastating wildfires that there’s “no reason for these massive deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”. This encompasses how the President of the Free World understands climate change; by undermining and essentially ignoring its impact, and prioritizing capital gains above environmental safety.
This is only one example of climate change denial by The President of the United States, disturbingly there are countless others. Our own Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s hands are not clean either, as he was eager to approve an oil pipeline that would be potentially harmful to the ecology and communities around it, all for economic gains.
People are angry about how our leaders are handling issues of climate change, and young people especially are starting to assemble and fight for change. A march for the environment took place a couple of weeks ago on November 10th in downtown Montreal, calling for action of individuals and governments to do more for protecting the environment and slowing global warming. A petition was started at this march called Le Pacte Pour La Transition, calling on individuals as citizens in Quebec to move from words to action when it comes to global warming, and to demand that Government turn their words into legislation to combat climate change. If you would like to learn more about the petition and sign it, please do so here: www.lepacte.ca
Young people part of a group called Environnement Jeunesse have set forth a class action lawsuit against the Government of Canada. This group alleges that the Canadian Government is infringing on the generation under 35’s rights by not having created greenhouse gas reduction goals high enough that would protect future generations from its harmful effects. They go on to say that if the government continues on this harmful path, “people under 35 will suffer the severe consequences of climate change, depriving them of their right their right to life and security of the person, to their right to equality, and to their right to an environment in which biodiversity is preserved.” If you would like to know more about the lawsuit, please visit their website: https://enjeu.qc.ca/justice-eng/.
Many other youth in countries around the world are staging protests and lawsuits to fight for change and more action by governments to combat climate change.
It is refreshing to see young individuals taking action against what is unjust. So I am doing my small part by informing passionate readers of The Insider about some actions are being taken to fight climate change. If we want to see change, we must assemble and take matters into our own hands. I hope that this inspires you to do your own part, and enact your duty as a citizen to stand up for change!
Written by: India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
