IF the issue of climate change is not going to be tackled now, the NEXT generation will always blame THIS generation. My name is Faidha. I have been volunteering with Raleigh Tanzania since 2018 on volunteer projects, but this year I had an opportunity to join Raleigh Tanzania’s ExCEL programme, a project which focuses more on tackling climate change through the Action Not Excuses Kesho Tutachelewa (“Tomorrow is too late”) campaign. Through the #KeshoTutachelewa campaign I have been participating in tree planting events, community demonstration events on the use of gas and briquettes, and carrying out radio interviews and online conferences to raise awareness of climate issues. Through our work we aim to emphasize the need to adapt to clean energy sources and to plant trees so we can restore nature and reduce the effects of climate change. Climate change is real and people are threatened by it. The effects of climate change won’t just be harmful to the current generations, but it creates an unknown future for the next generations who are innocent. There has been previous periods of climate change in history, but the current climate crisis is the most rapidly growing climate change ever as humans influence global warming through their daily activities. This is why I have been participating in lot of tree planting events and using my time to educate other young people on climate change. I believe that with every tree I plant, I will help someone who will one day be grateful for this tree.

Leaders must act

The climate crisis is growing, but who is responsible for tackling this? The answer is everyone. But world leaders have to be in the frontline to make sure this is happening. The question is how?

• Leaders need to take strong actions to introduce laws and bylaws that concern climate change, and they must make sure they are implemented and well understood by everyone. For example banning the burning of plastic bags, which is a problem here in Tanzania and worldwide.
• There must be provision of enough budget to young people who are passionate about climate change so they can campaign and develop green enterprises.
• They must help to raise more awareness to the majority, as it seems like many people are not aware at all about climate change and some do not know what to do to reduce its effects.
• Start a special curriculum that will be taught in schools from an earlier level of education, like nursery and primary schools, so that kids will know about climate change and take action when they are still young.
• Sustainable energy is a problem here in Tanzania which we are tackling through the Kesho Tutachelewa campaign. Leaders must support the producer of briquettes and gas so as they will produce enough supply for everyone with affordable prices.

Young people can join forces to tackle climate change

But while world leaders discuss the crisis, I believe young people can be the way out of the climate crisis. Young people make a quarter of the world’s population, and a large number of these are extremely worried about climate change. Because of this, we can join forces, use our different skills and insights to provide solutions to the climate crisis and reach other people easily. We all know it is today’s children and young people who will face the effects of climate change, and this is why young people, like Greta Thunberg from Sweden and us at Raleigh Tanzania, have been taking actions and fighting back against climatic change. As young people we have to know that we are the last generation who can end climate change, so we have to take actions now.