Climate worries add to young people’s problems
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With every passing day the urgency of the climate emergency, especially in vulnerable countries like Sri Lanka, is becoming increasingly irrefutable. From the smog in December last year to the devastating floods every year, the impacts of climate change-related disasters continue. On Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence Day, young people – the generations most at risk of the reckoning of inaction spoke out on the country’s future where climate change is concerned.
“Adverse impacts of climate change are one of the biggest challenges faced by youth today, especially in developing nations like Sri Lanka,” observed Kavindu Ediriweera, Director of Youth Programs at the SLYCAN Trust, a climate change and environmentbased think tank. \Amidst the many issues that young people have to face, it has become an uphill task for their survival and youth should be allowed to meaningfully engage in decision-making processes related to climate change and be involved in policy processes as a key stakeholder, he felt.
Knowledge dissemination processes must be initiated among youth to enable them to find sustainable mechanisms to contribute towards climate action, he says. “Youth-driven platforms such as
‘Global Youth Forum on Climate Change’ and ‘EthicalX - Climate and Incubation Hub’ have given opportunities to youth to express their views and concerns and to develop innovative and transformative climate solutions that connect to local, national, and global processes.”
“Sri Lanka is one of the most affected countries but can’t even predict the impacts because there’s so little data and research to go on,” said Melanie Gunathilaka, founder of Climate Action Now Sri Lanka.
This was an issue when it came to taking prevention measures. The young activist also noted the growing neglect of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. “Sri Lanka is a biodiversity hotspot but as the economic crisis has worsened the dangers posed to it have been pushed to the back burner.”
Given Sri Lanka’s position as a small economy, its susceptibility to
false solutions is high. “Right now it looks like we’re taking up solutions that aren’t actually beneficial for the people and planet in the long term.”
Sustainable solutions based on ecological justice would focus on measures to stop pollution and environmental destruction going forward. “Right now the focus seems to be on false solutions that let corporates greenwash their activities without having an actual lasting impact,” she says.
With the sea level rising, a lot of coastal communities and the urban poor living in Colombo, which is a wetland area, will face displacement. “And in terms of justice for these people we have a long way to go,” she told the Sunday Times adding that grass root consultations were vital for sustainable solutions.
Sri Lanka’s rapid rates of deforestation were another concern to young people. “The continuous deforestation causes landslides that endanger wildlife and livelihoods of those living in hill areas and act as an agent in micro-climatic changes making monsoons intense and warm periods much warmer,” student Buthmee Fernando told the Sunday Times adding that the deforestation of essential rainforest areas such as Sinharaja and wetlands around Colombo affects rainfall and natural drainage increases flood risk and the consequential displacement of people.
“It’s important to invest more in renewable energy, fast,” she stressed. She believed that the transition into renewables, especially solar energy, would provide more jobs. “The dependence on coal plants is obsolete solely due to the abundance of natural resources we possess as a nation.”
“We need global responsibility and solutions,” said artist Yashodhara Pathanjali. Conscious consumerism is a common responsibility, she says. “It is our money that is fuelling this disaster,so if we don't buy, if we don't consume, harmful products, the bigger systems will be forced to change.” She noted that focusing on the reduction /elimination of plastic garbage from packaging, and strengthening food security with more community farms and safer farming practices, could achieve a lot for Sri Lanka in terms of minimizing climate change impacts.