Hedef Kitle: Ages 9+
İçerik Dili:
Özet:
Tahmini Okuma Süresi: 4 dakika
In our previous article, we shared the views of young people and children on how they are affected by the climate crisis. In this article, we will discuss what young people need in this struggle and share their demands from the state, media, private sector and citizens.
While talking to young people about the climate crisis, two needs stood out: being heard and solidarity! The need to be heard is closely related to children’s right to participate. Next comes the need for young people’s views to be respected and taken into account. Young people demand to take part in decision-making processes as individuals who have an equal and active role with adults, and express this as follows:
“I need peace, tranquility and respect. As young people, I think our thoughts are more innovative and new. Many people don’t respect our thoughts.”
Solidarity is the second need that becomes prominent! Young people think that it is important for everyone to work in cooperation and solidarity, to stay in touch and not to lose hope in the fight against the climate crisis and they express the situation as follows:
“I need to be heard. I need my solution suggestions on this climate crisis and the problems it creates to be made visible. I think this can only be done if people hear each other.”
“I expect people to communicate and cooperate in order to solve problems.”
Young people have demands from the state, media, private sector and citizens on struggling against the climate crisis. Let’s have a look at these now.
What do young people demand from the state?
They demand from the state to fulfill its responsibilities on these following issues:
- For those who are and will be more affected by the climate crisis, climate justice and equality should be ensured
- There should be spaces for children to come together with their peers to talk about the climate crisis
- There should be spaces where children can express their views, needs and demands and make their voices heard by decision-makers
- Young people should be supported to find solutions to current problems
- Climate crisis needs to be addressed in schools
- Studies should be carried out to strengthen the ecosystem
- The Paris Climate Agreement should be implemented as soon as possible
- People should be informed about the climate crisis
- Civil society organizations working on this issue should be supported
What are their expectations from the media?
They demand from the media to fulfill its responsibilities on these following issues:
- Media must focus on real problems and be impartial
- It draw public attention to the climate crisis and inform the public about it
- It must produce content that inspires and increases solidarity instead of pessimistic content which will not help the solution
- It must be a tool for young people to make their voices heard
What do they demand from the private sector?
They demand from private sector to fulfill its responsibilities on these following issues:
- The economy should be changed and transformed in a fair way
- Human values should be adopted and taken as a basis
- Renewable resources should be used
- Awareness should be raised on the sensitive issues in creative ways
What do they demand from citizens?
They demand from everybody to fulfill their responsibilities on these following issues:
- Learning about the climate crisis
- Raising awareness about this issue
- Having knowledge about their rights and ways of claiming their rights
- Working on the things they can change, without getting desperate
We have a call for all children who have something to say on the climate crisis. You can share with us the things you want to write on this issue. You can contact the BİLGİ Child Studies Unit team by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. We are waiting for your articles.
Click here to read the first blog post of this series titled “Why are young people fighting for climate justice?”
Drawings:Ceren Suntekin
*This project was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
