Demanding climate justice for all, ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB), in cooperation with Young People, organised the Global Climate Strike on Friday in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
This Global Climate Strike was attended by more than a hundred representatives of Young People, including 15 transgenders.
In addition, youths from nine local rights programmes (LRPs) and two youth platforms (YouthNet for Climate Justice and Bindu) organised the global climate strike on the same date in 19 districts of Bangladesh.
In this climate strike, AAB’s Resilience and Climate Justice and Young People Strategic Priority reached out to the unheard voices from youth for the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP26), Youth COP and other relevant events on climate issues. To reinforce “Fridays for Future” and “Global Climate Strike,” young people of Bangladesh raised their voices and backed in solidarity with the theme “Uproot the System.”
In this colourful, sensible and non-violent strike, young activists along with people from across the society demanded climate justice by showing placards and posters titled “There is no planet B;” “Stop! Listen to My Earth;” “Burn Borders, Not Coals” and many more.
Referring to the climate scientists, Young People claimed that even half a degree rise in temperature will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat, higher sea levels, causing destruction and poverty for hundreds of millions of people, particularly for the people from the Global South. These effects will impact everyone both rich and poor, and be devastating to our most vulnerable people especially the poorest, youngest, children and women.
Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh said in her statement, young people around the globe want to take COP26 as an opportunity to raise their issues on climate to bring to the global leadership.
She said many countries of the world have not been able to vaccinate their population, and the majority of those not vaccinated are young people because of age bars and other factors. Farah Kabir also expressed her doubts that the COP26 is not going to be participatory because of the vaccination issue.
“This restriction is not supportive of participation, especially of the young people, and COP will not be meaningful if there is no participation of the future generation. Through this climate movement young people around the globe, including Bangladesh, want to take COP26 as an opportunity to raise their issues on climate to bring to the global leadership,” she added.
Source: United News of Bangladesh