Anjali Sharma, a 21-year-old Australian climate activist, is speaking out against the government's inadequate emissions reduction goals.
As The Sydney Morning Herald reported, Anjali has been attending climate protests since 2019, when she was just 14 years old. She was also the lead litigant against Australia's government in a class-action lawsuit related to climate issues.
Anjali has called the Australian leaders' climate targets weak commitments, knowing that her future will be vastly different from that of past generations because of the overheating planet. She foresees raising children in a world with increased heat-related deaths, in a country steadily losing land to rising sea levels, and in a community with food, water, and air that pose health hazards.
Her hopes for a more sustainable tomorrow were further shattered by the Australian government's recent announcement that it would only aim to reduce emissions by 62%-70% by 2035. Meanwhile, science has shown that the country needs to reach net zero by that time to offset the impacts of devastating temperature increases.
"For me, many of my generation, and many others like my family, who have grown up on the frontlines of the climate crisis, this is not about parties or politics," Anjali told The Sydney Morning Herald. "This is about survival."
Anjali's story from a youth perspective is raw, personal, frustrated, and urgent.
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Yet, she continues to implore the authorities to listen to the pleas of young people who will be tragically affected by our changing global climate. She continues to write and speak out about climate risks to encourage other youth to vote for candidates who will advocate for their futures.
Meanwhile, other young activists have been making their voices heard and fighting for a sustainable future climate in Alaska, Florida, and many other places worldwide. Their passion and perspectives inspire people of all ages to take local action in their communities by spreading public awareness, volunteering, and donating to climate causes.
Anjali continues to advocate for the protection of young people from the impacts of climate change on her social media channels and through the Duty of Care campaign.
"Young people are not a fringe minority; we are not only protesters, we are voters," Anjali told The Sydney Morning Herald. "And until election time comes around, we'll keep screaming, because the ballot box is where we can vote for our futures and vote out those who stand in the way of a safe climate. The ballot box is where the void can finally answer back."
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