Climate change is a stressful topic for all ages, but currently it really is taking a toll on today’s youth. Climate change is something that has been growing and developing for decades, even centuries, but has only recently become a serious topic of discussion, on the other hand a lot of people have the misconception that it’s our job as children to attempt to steer our planet’s future in another direction. 

In today’s world many young people feel immense pressure when it comes to this topic. Many of my friends have come to me and begun a conversation about the topic of climate change, and how they feel that the bar has been set too high for our age group and that this is not just our mess to fix. I myself feel pressured to come up with solutions and educate others about the topic at hand, even though I am only thirteen. Yes, I for one enjoy educating and helping people understand current political and climate issues, but not everyone is up to the task.

Climate change first started to become a regular topic during the 50’s, and our generation’s parents were born not long after this. This means our parents witnessed it going from a housewives tale to a serious discussion and topic. This means they should have the same ability to make change as us.

Even though I and others think this way there are adults who think otherwise. I’ve heard first-hand comments on the situation that made me feel even more confused and pressured to make a change!

Some of these being…

“I won’t even be alive when this becomes life or death, why should I help?”

“I’ve done my part years ago, it’s on the youth now.”

Even though you might have been on the park trash committee in 1992, or a part of a climate change protest in 2000, or maybe you will not even be here when it becomes life or death, either way you’re here now! You’re alive now! Even if you did help in the past, it does not mean your job is done. You still have a chance to make an impact, just like the rest of us do. 

This fight is not just mine, yours, or the fight of youths and activists, it‘s all of ours! So, let’s do our part as long as we can and as well as we can. 

It is true what they say, there is no planet B.

Text edited by Theo Levlin and Tuuli Aitchison

Nuorten Vuoro is a project by five environmentally focused Finnish citizens. The goal of the project is to uplift the voice of the youth in discussions reagrding the environmental crisis. The team edits and publishes the texts by young writers together with the Climate Move movement. The project is funded by the European Solidarity Corps.

The European Comission is not responsible for the content of the blog.

More information about the Solidarity Corps at www.oph.fi/euroopan-solidaarisuusjoukot