Today the Fridays for Future organization is holding climate strikes around the world to help raise awareness about climate reparations and climate justice.
The organization is calling for governments across the globe to listen to the voices of the most affected persons and areas (MAPA) by providing loss and damage finance to the communities most affected by the climate crisis.
According to the Canadian group, truly effective grassroots movements are the results of collective actions at the ground level. We believe in all youth leaders from coast-to-coast-to-coast to speak on behalf of the unique needs of their own communities.
“Today, youth in Canada and around the world are taking part in a climate strike and are demanding that Canada and the world take stronger climate action; I stand with them shoulder-to-shoulder. For their future, we must work together to reduce greenhouse gases, protect and conserve natural areas, and adapt to the hazards of our new climate reality,” says Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
“Climate change is a major concern for youth. As a long-time environmental activist myself, I have been in your shoes, and I understand and share your frustration at the pace of change. But the only answer is to continue urgently pushing forward to tackle this crisis, and that is exactly the mandate I have from the Prime Minister.”
This fall, the Guilbeault will be joining Canadian youth, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, scientists, and all levels of government at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) to establish an ambitious framework to fight climate change that aligns with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
In December, Canada will be the host country of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The international community will come together to focus on protecting nature and halting biodiversity loss around the world. These major international events offer us a place to leverage greater action. I invite you to join us in these discussions.
Canada recently established Canada’s first Environment and Climate Change Youth Council, which provides a forum for youth to influence government decision-making:
Environment and climate change youth council confirmed – The Environment Journal
Fridays for Future organizers are encouraging participants to register and be represented on the strike map: https://fridaysforfuture.ca/
Featured image: Markus Spiske/Unsplash.
