In the wake of the alarming threat of global warming, parents from around the globe on Thursday extended their plea to the government locked in conference at UN talks in Madrid to “give our children the future that they deserve.” In an open statement from 222 associations in 27 countries, the parents were quoted as saying: “Our children are being handed a broken world on the verge of climate chaos and ecological breakdown.”
As young climate strikers led by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg are expected to march through the Spanish capital under the Futures banner on Friday. The previous year had witnessed solo protests by Thunberg before the Sweden’s parliament. The movement, predominantly led by students, drew millions into the streets worldwide ahead of a UN Climate summit scheduled in September.
“Many of the delegates at COP25 are also parents and we appeal to these delegates in particular”, the declaration said.
Evoking the responsibility of parents and adults, the declaration said, “Addressing the climate crisis is not the responsibility of our children- it’s our job as adults and parents to act.”
Entangled in the 2015 Paris climate treaty’s “rule book”, the 12-day UN talk is going on since Monday.
In spite of the ever-increasing hue and cry, the major carbon polluters are simply hesitant towards carbon-cutting pledges that, collectively, are not sufficient to prevent global warming, say scientists. Naturally, the ecological crisis cannot be handled without collective sharing of responsibility.
“Every person in the negotiations has a responsibility to act to ensure our children’s right are safeguarded, and to disregard vested corporate interests,” said Isabella Prata, a mother of two, from Parents for Future Brazil.
Inclining the major climate concern towards a more personal front, Costa Rica’s President Carlos Alvarado said, “I have a six-year-old kid. If we are not courageous enough to take action in these weeks, we will not only be failing me and my kid, we will be letting down humanity.”
It was reported by scientists in Madrid this week that Carbon Dioxide emissions will rise just above 0.5% in 2019, to about 42 billion tonnes per year- that comes to about five million tonnes per hour. It is speculated that even if the participating nations work in accordance with the Paris treaty, the Earth’s average surface temperature will witness a rise of another two or three degrees.
The declaration further highlighted: “We are at a turning point in the story of our species and you, the delegates of this influential UN climate summit, have an opportunity to choose what happens next. We know that you can and we trust that you will.”
