ACTIVISTS TO WATCH
Which individuals come to mind when you think of environmental and climate justice movements? Is it household names such as David Attenborough, Gro Harlem Brundtland or perhaps closer to home, the Scottish-born ‘Father of National Parks’ John Muir? The influential work of inspiring people spanning centuries has been critical in understanding environmental change, protecting wild places and species, and continually striving towards a sustainable future that we have yet to achieve. They have paved the way for the stories of today - stories that must be given the space to come forward and be listened to. Today, few individuals have had more influence on how the world views the climate crisis than Greta Thunberg. And whilst Greta’s Fridays for Future movement has educated and engaged millions, she is not alone. Around the world young people are speaking up, taking action, starting campaigns, and leading movements. The Young Geographer editorial team caught up with some inspirational young activists to hear their stories, insights, and advice. Their words paint a picture of the difficulties of activism but also call for other young people to join them in the fight for a better, fairer, and greener future. Here’s what they had to say.
EILIDH ROBB Eilidh is a youth climate justice campaigner with the UK Youth Climate Coalition and Glasgow Calls Out Polluters. Eilidh advocates for the removal of fossil fuel actors from decision-making spaces such as the UN climate talks, and the inclusion of young people in key negotiations on the fate of their future. “Climate dialogue can feel like a space created by adults in suits for other adults in suits. Young people are often overlooked and underappreciated in these spaces, based on false assumptions about our intelligence. Yet young people’s power is our ability to simplify technical chaos into undeniable fact. Once I realised that my strength was my inability to blend in, I started to understand my unique power and what it means to be a young voice calling out decision-makers for their failure to act. While we still very much live in a world run by old white men, the youth climate movement is stepping forward with an incredible line-up of queer, female, and diverse organisers. There has never been a better time for young women to step into positions of power in the climate world; heck, the whole world! Whether that’s by diving into local politics, leading protests, or initiating change in whatever spaces of influence we have. Find your people, build a strong support network, educate and grow together. Then you are unstoppable.”
M I K A E L A L OAC H
A H LYA H A L I
Mikaela is co-host of the Yikes podcast, a writer, climate justice and anti-racism activist, and fourth-year medical student at the University of Edinburgh. She is particularly interested in campaigning for anti-racism, environmental justice and refugee rights. Visit her blog for original articles - mikaelagraceloach.wordpress. com
Ahlyah is a Muslim climate activist based in South East England. She campaigns for climate justice and systems change with UK Youth Climate Coalition, and is a Youth Advisor for The Resilience Project, which aims to build resilience into the youth climate movement. Ahlyah has also been featured in the Climate Reframe project (see page 4), which seeks to amplify the voices of people of colour in the UK environmental movement.
“My encouragement to all young people is this: activism works. Direct action works. Campaigning works. Our voices can and will be heard. People are listening. For me, looking at the work of people like Angela Davis - who has literally been doing activism for half a century - gives me hope. If she can keep going, we can too. There is so much benefit in being a young person in climate justice spaces but we can also learn a lot from those activists, like Davis and many Indigenous land rights defenders globally, who have been doing this work far longer than us. If we listen, always. If we continue to act. If we hold tight to values of climate justice, intersectionality and anti-oppression, then we will create a better world.”
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“Climate violence is a present reality, especially for communities most marginalised from policy spaces, but also a threat shadowing our futures as young people. Climate science is but one part of the equation; at its core, this is an issue of justice, intersecting with wider systemic inequities. And justice is something we can all understand - and speak up for. Have the courage to join in building a just world. Your voice is needed.”
