Help youth use law to have government address climate change

I WISH I had the money to hire a top advocate in Cape Town to allow my grandchildren to emulate the action of the six Portuguese youth making a case against 33 European countries in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

They assert in court papers that their future is being jeopardised by government inaction in respect of climate change.

The six applicants want the court to order European governments to do a great deal more to curb the heating of the planet. The extreme heat suffered by citizens of Lisbon in recent years prompted 12-year-old André Oliveira to join others in the court action. Even at his tender age he feels “much anxiety and fear”, not knowing whether his generation is going to have the same life the present generation has.

These youth-applicants have raised about $17 000 (R260 000) to cover legal fees through crowd funding.

If readers of the Cape Argus were willing to do the same, a handful of motivated youth could also approach the high court to compel the local, provincial and national governments to act with greater determination before things really get out of hand.

Every member of the portfolio committee on energy and climate change recognises the danger that climate change poses to the city. We have had many presentations on tidal changes impacting our shoreline.

We have also been made aware of the consequences of the southward migration of the high-pressure cell which will alter wind-flow and reduce rainfall along the West Coast.

Even though we have the knowledge and the data, the DA is not acting with requisite speed.

The problem of climate change is serious and therefore has to be handled with the kind of speed the Portuguese young people are demanding.

Our youth should take a cue from them. FAROUK CASSIM, COPE | Century View,

Milnerton