Our world is changing drastically and quickly. All of our lives are being impacted. After years of warnings from scientists, no one has changed, no country has changed. If you are reading this, you are likely an adult, and you are the one that needs to change to help my generation.
Now, let’s look at your generation’s track record. No meaningful laws have been passed to reduce the greenhouse effect, no leader summit has been able to come to a productive conclusion and do something. All the while, the doomsday clock ticks closer to midnight. The first conference about global warming was in 1979; then eight years later in 1987, the Montreal protocol was passed. Both of these were over two and three decades before I was even born.
And, yes, there is the mindset that one individual can’t change the world. And that lazy mindset is part of why my generation’s future is doomed. We need you to be the ones to pressure governments to make fighting climate change the No. 1 priority.
There are those that say climate change isn’t real. This section is for you. Look around you. Snowmobilers had two days of trails in North Perth this year. Hurricanes are more ferocious. More tornados are ripping through homes around the world. Food prices are soaring partially due to drought, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
Climate change is very real, and consequences will be colossal. Countries in southwestern and eastern Asia and most of the African continent are at the most risk because of their proximity to the equator, as well as water and population problems. According to Bloomberg, this places five million people at higher possibility of dying every year.
Northern countries are also in trouble. Greenland, Siberia and Canada are also at immense risk due to melting ice. The impact on Canada is already here, but it is going to get worse. The poles are warming at an average of four times more than the rest of the Earth. As the years go on without change, the intensity and frequency of extreme events like hurricanes and droughts will increase drastically. And events that usually happen once per century happen more frequently.
While there are many other consequences, another that will affect almost everyone is the economy. Due to the changes in the climate, consumer goods prices will skyrocket, leading to more people needing support to put food on the table which puts strain on governments. Which just adds fuel to the fire of climate change. And why is this happening? Because everyone just sits around expecting someone else to take a start.
Some people say that I am too young to vote, that I don’t know enough about the world. However, I question whether older generations have enough compassion for the future to vote accurately. I sometimes question if grandparents and parents really do care about their children and grandchildren’s future. My 12-year-old voice is needed because you haven’t changed. When you vote, you think about what the political party will do for you. Now it’s time to think what politicians do for the earth to save our future. My future is quite literally in your hands.
Some might suggest it’s too late. I say, now is better than never. According to the Fraser Institute, we still have six years before the worst effects will take place. There also has been a time where the world has rallied together. The ozone layer in Antarctica was being damaged and a hole was forming, so 196 countries signed and all agreed to stop the use of ozone harming chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC). Though the layer is healed and on its way to full recovery, not everything else is.
While it’s simple to say, we need to look at shifting our priorities and thinking about how the economy can be driven by green policies. A group of people from the World Bank have figured out that we need about 53 countries or more to spend $90 trillion dollars by 2030. Each country spending $1.7 trillion each by 2030, or $242.87 billion per year worth of actions against climate change.
We can do this; it just takes everyone believing. Some will say that this is a ridiculous amount of money, but before saying that, I advise you look up how much the U.S. spent on its military in 2021. Yeah, it was $801 billion, only one-third of that cost. Now tell me, which number sounds more ridiculous?
We have to believe this is achievable to have hope. The first thing that would need to be done with the money is to find sustainable sources of energy. These sources include a variety of sources. Solar power is a big one, since almost everyone has access to sunlight at some to most times of the day and to add that in with stats, according to SolarFeeds, 13.2 per cent of Canadian homeowners already have solar panels. Currently, hydro energy has the biggest sales in the green market at 59.3 per cent of all green sales. This is due to the abundance of water in Canada.
You see, there is a wide range of sources that can suit almost everyone. The excuse you make is that it’s too expensive to replace green energy with the energy sources you are using right now, but by making that one purchase, you are making a small change towards a bigger thing.
Another thing politicians could do is make agreements to keep fossil fuels in the ground and stop their usage. Setting up laws that require factories and production plants and products to be greener will also do wonders for the problem. These would take time, but doing these alone will reduce our emissions by a ton. Keeping fossil fuels in the ground would mean a huge step in going zero emission.
Stopping inefficient ways of production can help too. But you need to spread awareness for this to happen. Many people in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Norway are still skeptical about global warming. Spreading awareness means more people knowing and changing. The first step to addressing a problem is gathering knowledge about it. You need to be part of this movement.
Change can be scary. But climate change is and will be scarier if you don’t change. Global warming is increasing day-by-day, so do your part and encourage others to do the same. This way I can have a future that is filled with the same opportunities you had. Make climate change, and the future of your children and grandchildren, a priority. Force our government to make the environment a real priority. Unfortunately, you will not be around when your generation will be judged for the steps you could have taken but didn’t.
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Angel Saini is a student at North Perth Westfield Elementary School.
