Assembly’s climate toolkit for young activists
Everything you need to know about how to advocate for environmental sustainability and climate justice.
Everything you need to know about how to advocate for environmental sustainability and climate justice.
In the wake of COP26 — the United Nations’s annual climate conference that took place in November 2021 — young activists called out global leaders for not doing more to amplify and actually listen to young women’s voices and perspectives about the climate crisis. “No youth was given the opportunity to speak on the main stage live until after we asked to,” 22-year-old Pakistani-born environmental advocate Ayisha Siddiqa shared.
In 2020, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that warned of a “code red for humanity,” showing that the increased role human activity played in harming our climate could no longer go unnoticed. This report echoed the work of young female climate activists who, for years, have been ringing the alarm about the threat the climate crisis poses to their communities, lives and education.
By neglecting to listen to their perspectives about the climate crisis, global leaders are risking the future and health of many communities harmed by environmental issues. In the meantime, young women like you have taken matters into their own hands. “Leaders like to say, ‘We can do it.’ They obviously don’t mean it. But we do,” 19-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg expresses.
As a first-time activist, it can be overwhelming to understand the role you play in the climate change and climate justice movements and how you can help bring change. But your voice matters — and there’s a place for you in this fight. This guide is designed to help you become familiar with the climate crisis, the factors that contribute to it and ways you can advocate for the well-being of the planet.
What is climate change?
According to NASA, climate change is a long-term shift in weather patterns that determine the Earth’s local, regional and global climates. Throughout history, our planet’s climate has changed. Most of the climate changes recorded in history are due to very small shifts in the Earth’s orbit around the sun, which influence the amount of heat energy we receive.
Signs of climate change. (Courtesy of NASA)
If climate change is an expected phenomenon, why has it become an increasing concern?
The current trend in global warming has been increasing at an unprecedented rate, with human activity as the major cause since the mid-20th century. Here are some of the signs of climate change, according to NASA:
Global temperature rise in our atmosphere and ocean acidification
Since the late 19th century, the Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by about one degree celsius (two degrees Fahrenheit). Climate reports show that human activity in greenhouse gas emissions has been a significant contributor to the increase in our planet’s temperature. As global temperatures rise and seasons of low temperatures occur less frequently, we see more moments of intense rainfall and floods.
Our ocean absorbs most of our planet’s increased heat. As the Earth continues to warm at an alarming rate, the ocean — already the storage of 90% of our planet’s extra energy — becomes less livable for plants, birds and many sea creatures like corals and algae. This is because the increased heat in the ocean makes it more acidic, harming the viability of coral reefs as a habitat for fishes.
Shrinking ice and higher sea levels
As the Earth heats up at an alarmingly faster rate each year, areas with significant coverings of snow and ice are at risk. Ice sheets covering more than 50,000 square kilometres in Greenland and Antarctica are melting, contributing to rising sea levels. The Arctic sea ice has been getting thinner and smaller at a rapid rate. From the African Rift Zone in Kilimanjaro to the Sudirman Range in Puncak Jaya, Australia, glaciers in many parts of the world are disappearing because of climate change. These glaciers are huge, thick masses of ice that form when a lot of snow falls in one area over time and compresses under the weight of new snow.
As the ice and snow melt and disappear at a rapid rate, sea levels rise significantly. In the last century, our global sea level rose about 20 centimetres (eight inches). But in the last 20 years, this rate has nearly doubled.
Top left: The African Rift Zone in Kilimanjaro in 1993. Top Right: The African Rift Zone in Kilimanjaro in 2000. (Courtesy of NASA)
Bottom left: Sudirman Range in Puncak Jaya, Australia in 1936. Bottom right: Sudirman Range in Puncak Jaya, Australia in 2005. (Courtesy of NASA)
Why is understanding these signs important for climate justice activism?
Being familiar with these signs means we have a better understanding of environmental crises that are occurring in our communities. We can make sense of climate reports and how certain regions bear more costs of climate change than others.
Climate events like floods and intense rainfall disproportionately affect people living in coastal areas or locations with very high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, individuals in countries near the Equator and with regularly high temperature levels are more vulnerable to droughts and heat-related health issues as the Earth gets warmer. On April 14, 2022, there were reports of flooding in South Africa’s coastal province KwaZulu-Natal that left more than 300 people dead and many missing. About 20 storms and typhoons damage livelihoods in the Philippines every year. Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico severed people’s access to adequate electricity and crippled the country’s health care system. Crucial medical equipment like dialysis machines stopped working and medications like insulin went bad. Droughts in Kenya since 2018 have left 3.4 million people in need of food aid and 480,000 children in need of treatment for acute malnutrition.
The impacts of a typhoon in the Philippines. (Courtesy of Jay Labra)
Understanding climate justice
Recognising that some societies experience climate change differently than others is integral to climate justice. Being a part of the climate justice movement means acknowledging that some individuals and communities are affected by climate change more than others, and disproportionately experience the crisis’s impacts on development, food, health, water and sanitation and housing. Research also shows that though lower-income countries contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions, they bear the brunt of the environmental crisis.
For example, climate events have displaced more than 114,000 people in Burundi. Yet, the country is responsible for only 0.08% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Philippines experience devastating impacts of climate change but contributes less than 0.4% greenhouse gas emissions. By 2020, Kenya’s contribution of greenhouse gas emissions was 0.03%. However, the country’s agricultural industry bears the costs of extreme droughts and floods. These disasters put the 75% of Kenyans who rely on agricultural activities as their primary source of income at severe risk of poverty and violence.
“With more awareness and transparency about the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions, we can advocate for climate justice in ways that are reflective of the struggles impacted communities are experiencing. ”
Alarmingly, in the aftermath of environmental disasters, the areas and communities most impacted are often those that have been historically and systemically marginalised due to colonialism, classism, racism or homophobia. For example, before devastating floods rocked Durban, South Africa, the area was home to many South Africans experiencing unemployment and poor access to sustainable housing. The houses in Durban are located in low-lying valleys next to rivers or on steep, slippery slopes. So after a week of rain, mudslides and flooding, nearly 4,000 homes were gone and 448 people dead. Informal settlements like the shacks in Durban are legacies of South Africa’s historical relationship with racism, wherein Black people during apartheid were sentenced to live in the outskirts of the country. Though they could return to live freely wherever they wanted after apartheid ended in 1990, many Black people struggled to find better housing options. Colonialism also devastated economies around the world, with many Western colonial powers exploiting their natural resources for their own political benefit and economic growth.
Impacts of flooding in Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa. (Courtesy of Joao Silva)
Who should be responsible for climate justice?
Advocating for climate justice is a task for everyone, not just for the marginalised voices in communities suffering the most from the climate crisis. It’s necessary to keep the primary contributors to climate change disasters accountable, such as fossil fuel corporations and governments supporting their emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. These are the specific human activities that contribute largely to climate change:
Burning fossil fuels
In 2017, 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions were from 100 fossil fuel producers alone. According to The Guardian, 20 fossil fuel companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco are responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions. More climate reports reveal that greenhouse gas emissions from the 90 biggest carbon producers were responsible for nearly half the rise in the global temperature and almost two-thirds of the global rise in sea levels between 1880 and 2010. Despite this pressing issue, most countries continue to financially support fossil fuel companies’ initiatives to expand their work, putting our environment at risk. The U.K. government renewed its commitment with Royal Dutch Shell to develop a gas field in the North Sea, despite environmentalists’ warnings about Britain’s overdependence on fossil fuels. The Nigerian government and multinational corporations continue to extract oil from the Niger Delta, polluting people and their crops with high levels of chromium, lead and mercury.
Energy consumption from the richest 10% of people
After conducting research across 86 countries in 2020, Oswald, Owen and Steinberger found that the richest 10% of people consume about 20 times more energy than the poorest 10%. And the richest 1% are the fastest growing source of emissions, emitting twice as much carbon emissions as the poorest 50%. With greenhouse gas emissions rising as wealth increases, the responsibility to reduce emissions ought to be shared fairly — with top emitters having to reduce pollution by a higher rate than the bottom half.
With more awareness and transparency about the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions, we can advocate for climate justice in ways that are reflective of the struggles impacted communities are experiencing. We can also hold our governments and major decision-makers accountable in their approach to curbing carbon emissions.
“We are not saying that climate change affects only Black people. However, it is communities in the Global South that bear the brunt of the consequences of climate change, whether physical — floods, desertification, increased water scarcity and tornadoes — or political: conflict and racist borders.”
To be an active member of the climate justice movement, support local organisations who are doing work on the ground in communities and regions that are most impacted by the climate crisis. Use their unique and vital perspective to keep up with the climate crisis and how climate change is affecting their communities and futures.
With the following list of activists, organisations and additional resources to support and learn from, you’ll be ready to develop a more informed and globally conscious understanding of the climate crisis and what we can do — individually and collectively — to fight against it.
Books to learn from
“The Intersectional Environmentalist” by Leah Thomas
By examining the relationship between environmentalism, racism and privilege, Leah promotes the importance of uplifting marginal voices in the fight for climate justice.
“Nature Is a Human Right” by Ellen Miles
Ellen invites us to reassess our approach to urban development and improve our relationship with the environment. She addresses the injustice of the climate crisis and pushes for climate justice and environmental sustainability as a human right, especially for vulnerable and marginalised communities.
“A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis” by Vanessa Nakate
In sharing her story, Vanessa stresses the importance of making the climate justice movement inclusive of activists from Africa and the Global South. She uses her experience with the climate crisis as a young Ugandan woman to show us how her community has been disproportionately impacted by climate change.
“Soil Not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis” by Vandana Shiva
Scholar and environmental activist Vindana Shiva uses this piece to introduce her readers to a world of possibilities and hope outside of fossil fuel consumption and globalisation. This world is a community of small, independent and biologically diverse farms. In proposing this solution, Shiva presents the farms as a symbol that represents the sustainable and ethical benefits that protect the environment and wellbeing of our global community.
“War Girls” by Tochi Onyebuchi
This dystopian story follows two sisters fighting to reunite a country on the brink of a global climate apocalypse. This book gives fresh insight into how the climate crisis affects communities outside the Western world.
“Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest” by Rebel Girls
Based on the life of Kenya's Nobel Peace Prize winning activist and environmentalist Dr. Wangari Maathai, this work of historical fiction tracks how Wangari watches as climate change negatively reshapes the health of her environment and community. She devises a plan to solve the issue: plant a forest full of trees. You’ll be inspired to start thinking of ways to make meaningful, planet-friendly changes in your own unique way.
Articles to engage with
Resources for Teaching About Climate Change With The New York Times
Intersectional Environmentalism: Why Environmental Justice Is Essential For A Sustainable Future
Vanessa Nakate on how girls’ education can help solve the climate crisis
How young people around the world are using technology to address the climate crisis
Six things you need to know about the ways climate change affects girls’ education
Why climate education is important to me as a trainee teacher
YouTube series to watch
Podcasts to listen to
Hosted by journalist and environmentalist Sophia Li, Climate Talks makes the conversations about climate change and sustainability accessible to and inclusive for everyone. It tackles important topics like decarbonisation and circularity from multiple perspectives.
Created by Filipina-American climate activist Kristy Drutman (known as Brown Girl Green), this podcast is where you can hear Kristy interview diverse leaders and advocates redefining what it means to be an environmentalist today.
From the cultural significance of plant-based diets in the Caribbean Islands to the importance of finding joy in advocating for social change, the Joy Report is dedicated to sharing positive stories about climate solutions and environmental justice from diverse and intersectional point-of-views.
Activists to follow
Autumn Peltier – 15 year-old Canadian Indigenous global water activist.
Mitzi Jonelle Tan (she/they) – 24-year-old climate activist from the Philippines.
Sophia Kianni – 20 year-old Iranian climate activist and founder of Climate cardinals.
Sumak Helena Gualinga – 20 year-old Ecuadorian environmental activist.
Raeesah Noor-Mohamed (they/she) – 17-year-old climate justice activist from South Africa.
Mikaela Loach (she/her) – 24-year-old climate justice advocate based in the U.K. With Paid to Pollute, she’s suing the U.K. government for financially supporting fossil fuel industries polluting the Earth.
Wawa Gatheru (she/her/hers) – 23-year-old Kenyan-american environmentalist and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE).
Vanessa Nakate – 25-year-old climate justice activist and founder of the RiseUp movement in Africa.
Xiye Bastida (she/her) – 17-year-old teen climate activist from Mexico City.
Ayisha Siddiqa – 22-year-old Pakistani-born grass-roots environmental advocate.
Organisations to support
The Indian Youth Climate Network is a coalition of young people and youth-centred organisations aimed to take actions on climate change. It is well known for participating with youth summits and global deliberations with IGOs during conferences like COP.
‘Āina Momona is a community organisation dedicated to achieving environmental health and sustainability through social justice restoration and de-occupying Hawaiian lands.
Asian Pacific Environmental Network is an environmental justice organisation driven by California’s Asian immigrant and refugee communities. Each community works together to advocate for healthier, just spaces for people to thrive.
Rise Up Movement is an organisation driven to give African Climate Activists a platform to amplify their voices.
Green Africa Youth Organization is a youth-led gender-balanced advocacy group. GAYO focuses on environmental sustainability and community development. It is committed to adopting practices that encourage us to live harmoniously with nature.
African Youth Initiative on Climate Change is a network of youth groups and youth-led community organisations based in Africa who are working to combat climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Climate Cardinals aims to make the climate movement more accessible to those who don’t speak English.
Fridays for Future is an international youth-led and organised climate strike movement that started with the well-known hashtag #FridaysforFuture.
Black Girl Environmentalist is an intergenerational community of Black girls, women and non-binary environmentalists that was created to provide a space to center underrepresented voices in the mainstream environmental movement.
Polluters Out is an international youth-led coalition of grassroots organisations working toward changing the structures in our systems that contribute to the climate crisis.
Other resources and toolkits to learn from:
Slow Factory is a digital school with resources and information focused on addressing the intersecting crises of climate justice and social discrimination.
Tools for climate action by UNICEF.
Tools for young climate activists by Voices of Youth.
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