6 years

6 years, that’s how long we have to reverse the impacts of climate change. But to be honest, I’m not sure who is this “we” that is going to be. I have lost complete faith in governments and organizations. I’ve known about the climate crisis for about a few years and I’m 15 today. The generation before me, has known about the climate crisis for three decades and yet look at where we stand.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have often flaunted regulations for activities that benefit them, yet even after vaccination, they do not want to meet for COP26 2021. I mean, why would they? It’s the year that they must show their progress on their targets for various climate accords, and they’ll need time to fake the records.

But if I’ve lost faith in the people who can drive change, what do I have hope in? My only hope is personal actions, and therefore I have dedicated my time to do whatever I can for my future. One such example, is an organization that works in afforestation of hills near my home. My friends and I go there almost every alternate day, not only do we plant trees, but we also nurture and water them throughout the year.

You would assume that we could continue our work in peace, well apparently, not. On my birthday, we planted around 25 trees, 20 of which are dying today. An industrial company nearby built a fence around the area where we had planted trees. While the land records are coherent, it still is illegal activity. Plotting and selling land on the hill isn’t permitted in the first place, let aside the fact that they are constructing.

So, governments won’t act themselves neither ill they let us act. To top all of that, we’re told that we’re too young. Well, that excuse doesn’t make sense, it is because we are young that we are demanding change. It’s our future not yours. So please, stop playing dice with our lives, and if you don’t want to work, let us work at least.