This Is Your Last Chance To Act On Climate Change, Young Generation Of India Tells Politicians

Hundreds of students from across the national capital came together on Friday to make their voices heard as they left schools for the day to observe the Global Climate Strike.

The climate strike which is observed across the country on Friday saw a huge turnout in Delhi too. The hundreds of students from various schools who gathered outside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had one message for the politicians and policymakers - this is the time to act, and if you fail to do so, you will fail the future generations.

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From placards and posters to slogans and songs they young generation of Delhi made it clear to those responsible - we want decisive action now.

Aman Sharma, a 16-year-old climate activist from Delhi who has been at the forefront of demand to declare a climate emergency in the country was also at the climate strike.

"The climate around us is facing an emergency. If we are not here now we are wasting our time. This is the place everyone should be today. Because if not there won't be a tomorrow," Aman told Indiatimes.

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"I fail to understand why we are still being asked about why are the young generation protecting. This is our protest, for our future. I am happy that a lot of young students have come out here today. We are protesting against policies that sell my future for a profit. Our politicians are not concerned because it is not going to affect them, but it will be us, the next generation who are going to face the impact of this," he added.

Other than making it a show of strength, one thing was clear - India's next-generation knows what they are doing and what they want their future to look like and they were clear about.

"This is an issue that is going to affect all of us. So why are we not giving it the importance it needs. It is high time that our leaders take a look at the degradation of our environment and climate change seriously," Srinjani, a 17-year-old, Class XII student said.

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From the forest fire in Amazon to the cutting of trees in Aarey forest in Mumbai and the destruction of the Aravallis in Haryana, the young generation of India said they development at the cost of environment is not welcome.

"I am fighting for my right to live because my policymakers have denied me my future, ad my right to enjoy my planet. Because once I lose my planet, that is not something that I will get back. They are entitled to give me my environment and trees back. India is already in a bad state when it comes to the climate emergency. The internationally accepted standard is 33 percent forest cover, but India has just 22 percent. I come from Haryana, which has only 5 percent of forest cover. On top of that, there are many laws that are attacking the only forest that we have, which is Aravalli. In Maharashtra, the Aarey Forest is under attack. We need to do something and take some strict action." 15-year-old Veer, who was at the Climate Strike told Indiatimes.

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The Climate Strike is inspired by the call made by the 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The Strike is timed to coincide with some big international events: the UN Climate Summit in New York on 23 September, and the IPCC Oceans and Cryosphere Report, due on 25 September.