It’s children who are at greatest risk from this ecological disaster
It’s every parent’s wish to leave their child a better world than what they lived through – a better chance at education, a fulfilling career, a beautiful world to grow up in.
But the children of today will inherit a planet with more severe and more frequent extreme weather events, than faced any generation before them. The
climate crisis is threatening their right to a safe home, to healthcare, to food and to learning.
It’s estimated by 2040 one in four children will be living in areas with extreme water shortages. And by 2050 a further 24 million children are projected to be undernourished as a result of the climate crisis. There’s no time to waste. It’s time to act now.
Shreya turns “climate warrior”
We spoke to 22-year-old Shreya, a youth climate activist from Nepal who participated in Save the Children’s Red Alert on Climate campaign. Shreya shares how the climate crisis has affected her life and her country and the climate action she wants to see from world leaders.
Shreya
“Namaste. My name is Shreya. I am passionate about learning new things and doing social work. Five years back, I was unaware of the climate crisis and its dangerous environmental impacts. It was on the first day of my class in Environmental Science that I learned about the horrifying impact of the climate crisis. I had read about global warming and acid rain in my school but didn't know its urgency.
I researched about it more and found severe problems such as climate-induced migration and extreme weather events. I was terrified. At first, I felt hopeless.
Slowly and gradually, I concluded, we all are affected and will continue to suffer more. So, rather than being a victim of climate change, I decided to take the role of a climate warrior.
“Our lives are melting along with our mountains.”
Nepal is among the most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis. In just two years, a Nepali peak, Mount Saipal, has become snowless. Our lives are melting along with our mountains. As the impact of climate change intensifies over time, it is the young people of today who will face the worst effects. I am one among them. Children are hardest hit by human-induced climate change as it limits their access to essential services such as foods, shelters, and education. It threatens their rights too.
I have been actively involved in raising awareness, influencing policymakers, and taking climate action. In 2017, I participated in the National Youth Conference on Climate Change organised by the Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA). The conference motivated me to join the network and make a collective impact. Since then, I have been working with NYCA, a youth-led coalition of the Nepalese youth and youth groups tackling the climate crisis, which is the biggest challenge of our generation.
A more sustainable, just, and fair planet for all
We believe that addressing the climate crisis is an opportunity to create a more sustainable, just, and fair planet for all of us. At every level, NYCA is led by young people for the future of young people.