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Role of youth in climate change activism

Human activity is the prime cause of global warming along with natural disasters. As a youth community, we are the next generation; we are concerned about global warming. We feel that we, and future generations, will be the ultimate bearers of the impact of global warming and the related climate change.

Shariful Islam
LAST September 29, I was invited from Bangladesh to attend a "Youth Training Workshop on Climate Change" in Bangkok. Thailand. There were 24 of us from 14 countries (Bangladesh. Australia, India, Pakistan. Nepal. Burma. Srilanka. Indonesia. Malaysia, Philippine, Cambodia. Korea. Japan, Thailand). I also joined "Inter-faith Consultation on Climate Change" on October 1-2 in Bangkok. Both were organised by the Asian Resource Foundation (ARF), the Archbishop of Uppsala Primate Church of Sweden and Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN).
Climate is dynamic and is changing. Nowadays, climate change is one of the most burning issues in the world. Human activity is the prime cause of global wanning along with natural disasters. As a youth community, we are the next generation: we are concerned about . global warming. We feel that we, and future generations, will be the ultimate bearers of the impact of global warming and the related climate change.
Many individuals, private institutions. NGOs and some governments have already initiated, or are going to initiate, action plans to make people aware of the severity of the problem and to get them involved in facing it. Experts, scholars, religious leaders agree that current efforts are not enough to solve this multi-dimensional problem.
Every day, a lot of debate over the causes of rising global warming is taking place. The scientists who are studying and doing research on climate change all over the world are finding evidence from tree rings, pollen samples, ice cores and sea sediments of such changes. The causes of climate change can be divided into two categories:
• Natural causes: There are some natural factors responsible for climate change. For example, continental drift, volcanoes, ocean currents, the earth's tilt and comets and meteorites.
• Human causes: In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is the most prominent greenhouse gas. Changes in land use pattern, deforestation, land clearing, agriculture and other activities (use of synthetic products, lifestyle and consumption behaviour) have all led to a rise in the emission of carbon dioxide.
The youth are forming a united unit through a range of strong social and institutional bonds. Progress on mitigation of climate change can be and must be pursued on a variety of hierarchical levels -- personal, community and political. The youth will have to take on their Share of responsibility to help the communities as well as humanity. They need to move for the cause of humanity and serve humanity with their dynamism, strength and vigour. The youth will have to take over the leadership in order to bring about changes in the current pre- • dicament. They can also play a vital role in climate change.
• Every youth should be a servant of the society he lives in. The youths who are still studying should devote themselves during their vacation to the services of humanity.
They can raise awareness about climate change through organising different types of events, e.g. tree plantation, essay competition, rally, seminar, symposium and so on, under the theme "Save the World.” This would serve to bring the youth in communities together to perform their duties towards the social cause and community development.
• Local youths can organise a week of voluntary events to educate people on climate change and discuss what each individual can do to make a difference.
• They can clarify the concept of sustainable development and its importance in making the planet safe for the next generation. Moreover, youth can drive people of the society towards progressive policies such as energy saving innovations, effective recycling schemes, and changes in the education curriculum to reflect new challenges being faced by the society.
• The youth can build an effective partnership with the media to increase public awareness on youth action for climate change. They can produce environment related documentary films and science fiction movies focusing on the eventual consequences of climate change on the living beings of the world, and showing the people best practices so that they can adapt as per their local needs.
• The computer is one of the most effective alternatives for arousing awareness among children as well as communities. Youth can create different types of environment related computer games with causes and effects of climate changes.
Youth communities may mobilise community demand for incorporation of climate change as a subject for all levels in the national educational curriculum. Furthermore, youth can take initiative to approach, through their respective government organisations, UN bodies including UNDP and Unesco to take initiative to build an international understanding among members of the next generation regarding climate change education.
• Youth have enthusiasm, imagination and abundant energy' to develop communication network c^nd get respective local communities involved under this network in facing the challenges of the climate change.
• Youth are adaptable. They, as a part of their daily lives, can quickly adopt a low carbon life style and a career choice. Youth can receive this message and practice it in their lives and encourage other people for practicing it in their lives.
Climate change is a global problem, we need a global solution. The role of youth is not only to work for sustainable development locally or nationally but also to work for developing such a network that will make the movement of sustainable development international and global. In addition, if the youth become the driving members of the faith communities then they, through their knowledge and awareness building activities, can play an effective role in driving the community towards a sustainable as well as peaceful future. Thus, youth can make our planet safe for themselves and for the future generations as well.
Shariful Islam is a student of Economics, 4th Year. University of Dhaka Email shanful06islam@gmail com