Our Last Hope For A Better Future | Teen Ink

Our Last Hope For A Better Future

May 31, 2021
By Anonymous

“We’ve only just begun”, is the message being sent out by Extinction Rebellion. Extinction Rebellion is a global movement protesting for the environment, with the goal of using nonviolent civil disobedience to tell the government to make changes and avoid a tipping point in the global climate system. My message is to both the British government and Extinction Rebellion themselves to say that the government need to be looking at Extinction rebellions ideas and goals instead of the way that they are protesting. This is because their goals are very achievable and realistic but the way that they are choosing to protest is very outdated and boring.

The first step is for the Governments around the world to realise that they need to make radical changes of a speed never witnessed before. They can do this by declaring a climate emergency, swiftly followed by changing the rules, and a drastic reduction in carbon emissions. If one large Government did this, such as the US or China, others would follow suit and we will see huge changes in our world; changes we so dearly need. Governments need to embrace the ideas being proposed by Extinction Rebellion because governments alone do not have all of the solutions. 

They need to stop arresting the protesters and listen to their protest and keep in mind they are standing up for the most important issue on earth and are not just being mischievous for fun. This to can connect to human rights because people are allowed to protest and aloud to share their voice especially with the severity of this issue as well as how large this group of people is, and so the government also need to keep in mind that they are allowed to protest and so should stop arresting them for no reason.

Next people should listen to Extinction Rebellion and wake governments up to make real climate change. Extinction Rebellion has strong and achievable goals. Their goals are that “governments must declare a climate emergency", that “governments must legally commit to reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2025”, and “a citizens assembly must be formed to oversee the changes". These goals are achievable but won't happen by themselves. For carbon emissions to be reduced to net-zero by 2025 changes in the way the global population flies, drives, eats and uses electricity must change. Renewable energy must become the norm, and people must accept and embrace change. Some may resist but the arguments of the Extinction Rebellion must win over to combat climate change. As Gail Bradbrook co-founder of Extinction Rebellion said: "We have left it so late that we have to step up in a semi-miraculous way to deal with this situation".

Lastly For the British Government to take the Extinction Rebellion more seriously, and take what they are saying, Extinction Rebellion needs to change its method of protest. Their methods are outdated and have been seen before such as during the CND 1980s protests. They need to grab people's attention more innovatively by using methods of protesting never seen before. If their protests were more unique, the size of the protests and support would grow and grow and force governments into radical action to meet the emergency. 


The author's comments:

My name is Albert Miller, and I am a student at the International School of Kenya. I wrote this piece so that I can help people understand more about Extinction Rebellion and learn who they are and what they do. As well as how people should think more clearly about their daily lifestyle and how their actions can affect the environment and how to change this.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.