Climate change activism; empowering students as agents of change to address this issue

BY PAUL JUNOR

The impact of climate change on the economic, social and environment is of concern to many people worldwide. There is no doubt that widespread changes in the climate will have an ongoing impact on our environment, as well as social and economic consequences on our human affairs.

Many people confuse climate and weather; they are related but they are not the same. According to the grade10 Science Link textbook climate is defined as “The pattern of weather conditions within a region over a long period of time,” and weather as “The conditions of the atmosphere for a specific place at a specific time.”

Even more people confuse climate change and global warming thinking that they are synonymous, and they are not the same. Global warming refers “To the average increase in one part of weather, air temperature, as it affects the whole planet. But climate change involves more that just temperature change over a longer period of time. Climate change refers not only to changes in temperature, but also changes in other parts of weather such as precipitation (rain and snow), wind, and storms. Over a million young people from all over the world participated on Friday, September 20^th, 2019 in the Global Climate Strike against climate change to draw attention to this global crisis and issue.

It was sixteen-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg who spearheaded the march. She led young people numbering in the thousands to send a signal to world leaders who will be convening in New York for the United Nations Climate Action Summit. This youth-led climate strike was intended to get leaders to act as quickly as possible and to take more direct actions to curb carbon emissions. There is a need for government all over the world to implement policies to ensure that global warming is maintained at a maximum of 1.5 C. Protests were also simultaneously held in over 150 countries and cities such as: Canberra, London, Paris, Berlin, Nairobi, Kabul, Johannesburg, Cardiff, Glasgow, Berlin and Toronto participated.

According to the Saturday, Sept 21^st edition of the Toronto Star, Thunberg addressed the crowd and stated, “This is what people power looks like. We will rise to the challenge. We will hold those who are the most responsible for this crisis accountable, and we will make the world leaders act. We can and we will.”

In New York, students were able to attend the strikes without ever having to worry about being penalized for skipping school. Permissions were given to 1.1 million students to miss their public school classes. In the United States alone, there were over 800 events that took place in every state. In Toronto, there was a teach-in at the University of Toronto, in which university students were able to come together and acquire: skills, techniques and ideas that they can use for, “Expressing the fears they have about the climate crisis,” according to the Toronto Star.

In Canada, a second global climate strikes is set for September 27^th, in which cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal will be involved and Thunberg is scheduled to attend. There will be over 100 events that are organized for that day. In Toronto, it will be held at 12p.m noon at Queens Park. The Toronto District School Board sent out an email to teachers on September 16^th advising them to ensure that students are not penalized for missing class as the board is supportive of the student-led initiative to address this global crisis. The TDSB emphasizes that students’ involvement in this action will help to build student leadership and enhance their ability to be directly involved in effecting positive change.