(AU The Age) When Tishiko Went Home, She Found Exposed Burial Sites And Empty Fishing Grounds. Now She’s Going To Glasgow

The Age - Laura Chung

For Tishiko King, a Kulkalaig woman from the Torres Strait, the slow catastrophe of climate change is personal.

The 33-year-old Melbourne resident from Masig Island, also called Yorke Island, recently returned for the first time in 20 years and heard first-hand from her family how climate change was affecting their island home.

Tishiko King is headed to Glasgow. Credit:Jason South

Fruit crops weren’t as plentiful, the fishing grounds previously used for coming-of-age rituals no longer hosted fish, and their burial grounds had eroded, exposing the remains of family members, they told her.

“First Nations people have done the least to cause the climate crisis, but we are hit the first and the worst,” Ms King said.

As well as juggling school, university and other commitments, many of Australia’s young people are also trying to tackle the biggest crisis: climate change. Concerned about the type of world they will inherit prompts many young activists to push governments to take stronger action to protect their futures.

In the past two years, new records have been set for natural disasters across the world. And the IPCC warns this may only be the beginning. 4min 29sec

By 2090, temperatures along Australia’s east coast could increase by 2.8 to 5 degrees, and some areas in the region could experience around two to three times the average number of days above 35 degrees. Meanwhile, southern parts of the country, including Victoria, could see temperatures increase by 2.7 to 4.2 degrees.

Glasgow summit
How the world ran out of time

“It’s important for me to stand up for my people and other First Nations people and represent those traditional people ... they are passing the stick along and we’re the ones inheriting this responsibility,” Ms King said.

She hoped countries would set deeper emissions-reduction targets for this decade at COP26, and that Australia would be held to account for failing to follow the ambition of Britain and the United States. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, she will be among the few Australians heading to the summit in Glasgow.

Also going to COP26 is Australian climate activist Louis Mitchell. The 18-year-old said the absence of many young Australian activists at the summit would be keenly felt.

“I genuinely feel so lucky to be here, but I wish I was here with other people who have been marginalised: bushfire survivors and Indigenous people. COVID-19 has made COP inaccessible,” he said. “I have to take what I’ve got and do whatever I can to ensure their voices are heard.”

Australian climate activist Louis Mitchell will head to COP26.

Mr Mitchell, like many youth activists, will participate in protests outside the Glasgow summit, including a global day of climate action where thousands are expected to march through the Scottish city on November 6.

In Australia, the Uni Students for Climate Justice group is organising protests in most capital cities. The group’s national convenor, Anneke Demanuele, said local efforts were just as important as international action. “It’s not just COP26 that matters, there have been 25 COPS before it,” the 26-year-old Melbourne student said. “We actually need a movement in Australia.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have been challenging for the national climate movement, activists are determined that, as restrictions ease, they’ll reignite it.

It’s the first time for nearly 18 months when there wouldn’t be many cities locked down, Ms Demanuele said. “It’s the first cog starting to move towards ... a big movement on the streets again.”

Uni Students for Climate Justice group members Sam Rathnaweera, Anneke Demanuele, Liza Stephens, Bella Beiraghi and Winnie Zheng are organising protests across Australia in line with the global day of climate action on November 6. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Young people’s voices have been instrumental in increasing the visibility of the climate protests, with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg leading the way. The 18-year-old, whose school strike sparked a global movement, will attend COP26.

Ms Thunberg told AFP this month she was doubtful it would lead to any significant changes and activists would have to continue fighting.

Glasgow summit

The charts you need to understand the climate emergency

Ms Demanuele agrees: “I don’t think it will be an easy fight because so much money and power are invested into the fossil-fuel industry, but if anything is going to shake them up, it is going to be young people and their supporters.”

Sydney student Ambrose Hayes is just about to start his final year of school. In his spare time, he’s part of a class action suing federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley over her plans for a new coal mine in NSW’s Hunter region.

The teenagers argued the mine expansion would endanger their future because climate hazards would cause them injury, ill health and economic losses.

The Federal Court dismissed the teenagers’ application in May to prevent the minister approving the coal mine extension, but it found Ms Ley owed a duty of care to Australia’s young people.

While Ambrose has always been interested in environmental issues, in 2018 he started to become aware of climate change through the media and decided it was time to act.

Sydney student Ambrose Hayes is part of a class action suing federal environment minister Sussan Ley over a coal mine. Credit: Louise Kennerley

“We can’t vote yet ... but there are so many different ways young people can make a change, whether that’s through talking to local MP or being involved in legal action, or joining a local political group or being involved in some sort of protests — there are so many things you can do,” he said.

Glasgow Climate Summit

Explore

Links

• Glasgow summit
• The climate clock: What’s the world’s carbon budget, and what’s Australia’s share?
• Climate deal hangs in balance as world leaders look to soften targets
• How the world ran out of time
• The charts you need to understand the climate emergency
• Boris Johnson, an unlikely Captain Planet with global ambitions
• The billionaire, the book and the PM: How Bill Gates convinced Scott Morrison on net zero
• Climate Change in Australia - Projections Tools
• Environment Minister appeals ruling she must protect children from climate harm