Swedish Environmental Activist On Climate Change Greta Thunberg
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Coronavirus or climate change?
It’s difficult for me to think about anything other than those affected by the coronavirus at the moment. But when experts say the virus has resulted in actions that have wiped out a quarter of China’s emissions of damaging greenhouse gases in two weeks and air pollution is down because of decreased driving and less coal burning. And the reduced pollution is likely to have saved the lives of 4,000 children under the age of 5 and 73,000 adults over the age of 70; I must admit, it got me thinking.
When the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, we must become a culture that is more conscious of our planet. Consider telecommuting more, reconsider what consumer goods we need, rethink frequent long-distance travel, do whatever you can. I know these activities only contribute to a small percentage of the source of carbon emissions. But don’t let that deter you. Humans are nature; we’re not separate from it. And when we hurt the planet, we hurt ourselves.
The 17-year old Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, who recently revealed that she probably has COVID-19, might well agree.
So what can Thunberg and members of her super woke tribe – who have, by the way, been falsely stereotyped as apathetic and glued to their electronic devices – teach us about marketing, innovating, and leading this new generation?
First off, young people say climate change is their biggest fear.
Amnesty International surveyed more than 10,000 members of Generation Z around the world in its “Future of Humanity” survey. Overall, 41% of the respondents said that climate change was the most critical problem faced by the world. And among environmental problems, 57% picked climate change as the most challenging issue for the environment. Young people view climate change as their biggest fear because it will impact their futures negatively.
Secondly, Gen Z is more socially conscious than previous generations.
They act on behalf of the causes in which they believe. Another study found that 26% of Gen Zers, who are between the ages of 16 and 19, volunteer regularly. This generation wants to make a positive impact on the world and believe that they have the power to make a difference. Their willingness to tackle complex, global issues, I think, provides leaders with valuable insight into how to engage them.
Thirdly, Greta Thunberg, herself, has been nominated for the Nobel Prize.
She’s a perfect example of what I call the super woke generation. Thunberg took the world by storm with her passionate calls for adults to do more about the climate crisis. I loved how she forced the world’s statesmen to listen to her at the United Nations and locations across the globe, only to be nominated for a Nobel Prize in March 2019 eventually. Her passion calls for climate action demonstrates how deeply young people are willing to do whatever it takes to spur action.
Fourthly, Gen Z leads the way by protesting in the masses.
Millions of teens around the world have been inspired by the actions of Greta Thunberg to take action against climate change as well. It started when millions of students walked out of their schools on Fridays in March of last year. That led to global climate strikes in September, in which more than a whopping six million people protested. I believe this generation understands the urgency of the climate issue and shows a willingness to take action. Don’t you?
Last but not least, Gen Z’s climate activism is an inspiration to other environmental activists.
Extinction Rebellion, a UK-based climate activist organization, made up of climate activists of all ages, has made three core demands of governments worldwide, including to tell the truth about climate change and to take immediate action. While this group started before Thunberg’s famous speech at the United Nations when she scolded world leaders to “stop acting like children,” it’s experienced significant growth following the increased activism of the Woke generation.
If I may say, the one ‘good’ thing about the coronavirus pandemic is that it shows us how urgently governments can react to global emergencies if they want to. It also shows us the connection between coronavirus and climate change crises. Thank you, IBM, for pivoting your annual hackathon from being just about climate change to also being about COVID-19 solutions.
So perhaps my real question is not whether we should be thinking about the coronavirus or climate change, but whether the world will address climate change with the same enthusiasm as addressing the pandemic? I sure hope so.
Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality, international keynote speaker, and the author of the New York Times best-selling book, “The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right).” He was also named Esquire’s Influencer Of The Year. Twitter @jeetendrsehdev. Instagram @jeetendr_sehdev.