Monday, May 29News For London

UN Climate Change Conference: What do young Londoners think about it?

by Barkha Goenka
Climate Change: A global Issue | Source: Google (rabble.ca)

In Poland’s coal capital, Katowice, experts, environmentalists, scientists, politicians, journalists and leaders from all around the world converge together for the biggest climate change event of the year – COP 24 Katowice, United Nations Climate Change Conference, Poland 2018.

Climate change is inevitable and we can see it happening around us. The world is getting hotter, glaciers are melting and a recent study, as mentioned in the BBC report, suggests that CO2 emissions are on the rise owing to economic growth.

Representatives from around 200 countries have gathered for this two-week conference to discuss the rules and finalize guidelines that will help countries implement the Paris Agreement. The Paris climate agreement, which was adopted at the Conference of Parties (COP) in 2015, outlines the plans for nations to keep global warming below a target threshold.

Climate change has affected the world and while governments need to make big changes, every individual can contribute too. Urgent and immediate actions are needed to bring about a radical change in the global scenario of pollution, drought, floods and other catastrophes. It is not the work of a few groups or organisations, the onus lies on everyone.

Student Union of the University of Westminster has also been contributing their bit to combat climate change. Nelson Hylton, student group’s coordinator, University of Westminster, said: “Student Union of University of Westminster is putting bins all around the campus to tackle the climate change in the right way.” Nelson feels that reduction in waste generation and recycling is one of the effective ways to deal with the problem of climate change.

A report from Independent highlights how London is under the threat of sinking due to a rise in sea level because of global warming and youngsters of London are well aware of the issue of climate change.

Warshma Chughtai, BA Journalism student at the University of Westminster urges her friends to minimize the use of plastic and by doing this she feels that she is contributing her bit to reduce pollution and tackle the big issue of climate change. She said: “I totally avoid using plastic bags and every time I go shopping, I take my own cloth bag and urge my friends to do the same. I love how Starbucks is trying to replace plastic cups with the metals ones and I wish others to adopt the same too.”

Article by: Barkha Goenka