Covid-19 has put us in a global crisis where everyone has had to act quickly and forcefully. The changes show what we can achieve when individuals, companies and authorities work together in difficult times. The same action must be used to save our planet, write 13 activists in WWF Sweden Youth.
We young people in WWF Sweden Youth urge those in power and the people of the earth to learn from the power of action from the corona crisis in favor of the climate and biodiversity. The idea of a sustainable society is perhaps more important than ever. The climate movement continues to work and we must continue to make demands to achieve a sustainable future where we live in harmony with the earth's resources.
Globally, we all live on earth as if we had 1,7 planets at our disposal and in Sweden we live as if we had about four globes according to the Global Footprint Network. This means that there is an unfair global distribution of resources and we live on future generations. This has a negative effect on both the climate and biodiversity.
In order for all people to be able to live within the framework of what our planet can handle, those in power must deal with climate threats and the loss of biodiversity as a crisis. We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the 1,5-degree target and at the same time stop destroying, polluting and overexploiting ecosystems so that all species can survive.
We have now seen that there is the capacity to act vigorously to respond to a crisis. Imagine if we could learn from our actions in the current pandemic and apply it to live within the planet's boundaries.
2020 would be the Super Environmental Year with many global conferences. For example, an equivalent to a Paris Agreement on Biological Diversity would have been developed. However, the super environmental year has had to be postponed to the future due to the corona crisis. We young people still continue to work to counteract climate change and the loss of biodiversity. We expect those in power to do the same, at least those who are not working on the corona crisis. They must act already now to keep what they have promised, for example working for the 1,5-degree goal and Agenda 2030. When the Super Environmental Year ends, we want to see strong agreements. Empty words are not enough, we want to see action!
When the covid-19 pandemic hopefully begins to subside, we must ask ourselves the question - what do we humans go back to then? Should we return to old routines that destroy the earth, our home? Or should we challenge ourselves and make favorable behaviors a habit? In this way, we can find a lifestyle that suits us as well as nature and the climate. It can be anything from reducing our consumption to eating more sustainably or discovering Sweden's beautiful nature during the holidays.
During the corona crisis, we mainly protect our risk groups. During the climate and biodiversity crisis, we are all in the risk group: the current generation, as well as future generations and all the species in the world. That is why we must act forcefully!
This is a debate article. The author is responsible for analysis and opinions in the text.
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