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SETTING THE TRENDS ON CLIMATE JUSTICE FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD Mwangala Maunga, Zambia
AFI LEADERS UNDER 18, DELEGATES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Thank you for this great opportunity to address you on a very critical and life-threatening topic. Did you know that according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, population Division world population prospects 2022, that the world’s population is projected to reach 8 billion by mid November 2022, which is just a few days from today? The latest projection by the United Nations further indicates that the global population could grow to around 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050 and 10.4 billion by the year 2100. These are very important statistics to consider as we begin to engage and talk about early investment for better learning and brighter future for children across the globe. In this regard understanding population trends and anticipating demographic change will be very critical to Setting trends on Climate Justice from early childhood. Climate change is the crisis that we are grappling with today, Solutions to Climate change have been generated, discussed at high level meetings of World Leaders resolutions have been made even policies drafted, unfortunately implementation has been at a very slow pace. We need to enhance the climate justice agenda by bring children on board at an early age to be part of the solutions as they will be growing into well informed, responsible and knowledgeable citizens of the world, this should start from home, community, school, national and international levels. How do we start? 1. Climate Justice should be a compulsory stand-alone subject upon entry into school pre-grade level up until university this should be a law for each country of the world. 2. By the time a child is enrolled into any form of school before they go to the first (1) grade they would have planted a tree proof of certificate awarded or given by the Department of forestry under the Ministry of Natural Resources in conjunction with their Education counterparts. Thereafter each year going forward every child will have planted a tree of a year spent in school. 3. Integration of environmentally friendly practices into their everyday lives. 4. Engaging children in active climate justice advocacy like being part of programs like the Cartoon Network Climate Champions and Plant for the Planet Ambassadors to mention but a few. What do we do to have an impact on Climate justice? Fellow delegates, all the speakers at this summit are under 18, meaning I am 16 years by 2030, I will be 25 years old, by 2050 I will be 45 years old by God’s grace further those part of the 8 billion born in November 2022, by 2030 they will be 8 years and by 2050 they will be 28 years old, we don’t want to be seen as though we did not plan for our leadership roles as we take up our positions at the decision making platform from our parents as we are doing today.
