A group of young climate activists, including Swedish Greta Thunberg and Philippines’ Mitzi Jonelle Tan together with Vanessa Nakate from Uganda and Dominika Lasota from Poland, have appealed to world leaders to save planet Earth.
The group released an appeal through United States-based non-profit Avaaaz, entitled “Betrayal” and stated that this is how young people around the world are describing our governments’ failure to cut carbon emissions. “And it’s no surprise,” the group wrote.
“We are catastrophically far from the crucial goal of 1.5°C, and yet governments everywhere are still accelerating the crisis, spending billions on fossil fuels. This is not a drill. It’s code red for the Earth. Millions will suffer as our planet is devastated — a terrifying future that will be created, or avoided, by the decisions you make. You have the power to decide,” the appeal read.
The group said as “citizens across the planet, we urge you to face up to the climate emergency. Not next year. Not next month. Now,” and listed the following demands of the leaders:
Keep the precious goal of 1.5°C alive with immediate, drastic, annual emission reductions, unlike anything the world has ever seen.
End all fossil fuel investments, subsidies, and new projects immediately, and stop new exploration and extraction.
End creative carbon accounting by publishing total emissions for all consumption indices, supply chains, international aviation and shipping, and the burning of biomass.
Deliver the $100bn promised to the most vulnerable countries, with additional funds for climate disasters.
Enact climate policies that protect workers and the most vulnerable, and reduce all forms of inequality.
The group said that the world can still do this. “There is still time to avoid the worst consequences if we are prepared to change. It will take determined, visionary leadership. And it will take immense courage — but know that when you rise, billions will be right behind you.”
At the time of writing 1,689,128 have signed the appeal.
