Youth Activism Makes an Impact

By Chloe Malouf

Attending COP25 for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. Much of the time I was just trying to navigate the conference and understand how exactly I was expected to participate. However, among the fast-moving chatter of lectures, exhibits, presentations, and events, there was one aspect of the experience surprised me the most: the strong presence of youth activism. Every day I found myself stumbling upon a youth activist demonstration, speaker, or protest. Their powerful presence throughout the week impressed me, uplifted me, and also worried me. The voices of high school age student activists seemed to be the most passionate, urgent, and persistent of all the people I met. I was concerned that the young people at COP25 were the only people who were seeing the climate crisis as a global emergency that requires immediate, dramatic action.

I met several youth activists from all over the world and a few from the U.S. One of the most impressive people I saw was a 15-year-old girl from the Midwest. She spoke on a panel in the U.S. Climate Alliance Pavilion with four other adult men. She proved herself to be a force of nature despite how nervous she must have felt in that space. Every time she spoke, the audience roared in applause and support. She made sure to include issues of justice that effect people of marginalized identities and those from other nations who are feeling the worst effects of climate change. She commanded the entire panel with her strong statements demanding action. After the panel, I approached her to give her congratulations. I told her I was a Tufts undergraduate student and that I was involved in the Sunrise movement. I told her that if she ever wanted to visit Tufts when college search time comes around, that I would be happy to show her around and introduce her to environmental studies faculty. To my surprise she responded, “I would love to visit Tufts, but my grades are bad since I’ve been busy doing talks like these and participating in activism.” In that moment, my fears were confirmed that these outstanding young people are sacrificing their childhood and their education to wake up the “adults” in charge. I am proud that young people continue to fight, but they shouldn’t have to.

After one of the major panel presentations including the incredible Greta Thunberg, a mass of students rushed onto the grand stage and starting singing protests of climate justice. The audience was moved to their feet and I was even moved to tears. I thought, “Why do the young people at this conference have the most urgency on climate justice?” “Why is it acceptable that young people are desperately fighting for their futures at this conference of professionals while they should be in school enjoying their childhood?” The international community is failing the young generation. However, I was also stricken with intense feelings of hope and amazement. Since coming to college, I had always thought I was too young and unprofessional to make a difference in this fight. All of the young people that I saw this week proved me wrong. This generation is ready to fight for change. I feel hopeful that my generation is taking the climate crisis seriously. 

Chloe Malouf was a Tufts delegate to COP25 made possible by the Tufts Institute of the Environment (TIE). Should you be affiliated with Tufts University and interested in being a Tufts delegate to COP in future years, please visit: https://environment.tufts.edu/initiatives/events/unfccc-cop/.