CLIMATE IN CRISIS - WILL ANYONE ANSWER THE EMERGENCY CALL?

Astrid on one of her first school strikes in February 2019. Picture: Private

Earlier this week, What Took You So Long? interviewed an 18-year-old Fridays for Future climate activist on her involvement in the climate change movement. Wise beyond her years, Sweden-based Astrid Blomberg discussed everything from her optimism about the future and why she feels politicians are ignoring the science, to how she first started with the Fridays for Future movement.

Astrid’s initial involvement with climate strikes began on the first Friday of February 2019, when she attended a school strike for climate with Fridays for Future. "It was a really snowy day," Astrid remembers, "we were freezing standing in the snow, and there were younger schoolkids there too. We were chanting 'skolstrejk för klimatet' (school strike for the climate) over and over again to distract ourselves from the cold."

“I FEEL LIKE I TRY TO FOCUS MY EFFORTS AND ENERGY IN PLACES THAT WILL MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE”

She tells me that her initial involvement was very “in the moment”; she was invited to some early planning meetings and from there fell into the Fridays for Future movement. "I've also become more involved with Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion, as well as a youth organisation called Fältbiologerna, and not just Fridays for Future… I feel like I try to focus my efforts and energy in places that will make the most difference."

As she continues, Astrid's answer turns to focus on the idea that one reason concern for climate change is growing is because it's much easier to do something when you're not alone; especially when people can strike or protest with others for the same cause. The global strikes have attracted more people to be part of a climate movement and help with organising future events so, even though Astrid says she hasn't had as much to do with the strikes lately, she feels calm with this because there are more people involved compared to the beginning.

Despite this, Astrid believes that the movement still faces many challenges. One struggle she feels that Fridays for Future faces is that it is still a grassroots movement, so there is no concrete and defined structure about how things work. "There is not really a leader, which can sometimes be a challenge, even though I like how that works. There can be a bit of confusion, but it's not something I feel Fridays for Future should change."

"WE'RE JUST HERE TO SAY WE THINK THIS IS WRONG AND THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE OKAY WITH 'BUSINESS AS USUAL'."

When it comes to politicians and other influential people, Astrid says that there seems to be a greater focus on competing to see who can take the most pictures or selfies with strikers. "They're praising us for taking responsibility but not actually doing anything; this doesn't feel very encouraging." 

Photo by Nessim Stevenson

As a result, she reveals that a significant struggle is simply the fear of not being taken seriously. "Because we are children, people are constantly questioning why we're striking from school but 'don't have any real solutions'." This is where Astrid reveals that the goals and aims of the Fridays for Future movement are being confused. "What Fridays for Future means is that it's not up to us children to have to come up with the solutions; we're just here to say we think this is wrong and that we're not going to be okay with 'business as usual'."

"… I THINK IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE TO HAVE TO ADDRESS YOUR PRIVILEGE, BUT YOU HAVE TO LET THAT GO.”

Does she feel that politicians are ignoring the science behind a climate emergency? In short, yes. "Money has a huge role in this; significant amounts of money are getting put into fossil fuels, deforestation and the meat industry." Astrid asserts that the decisions needing to be made are not popular among governments. She says that only a very small population of the world has significant emissions; therefore, nations releasing the smallest amount of emissions haven't contributed much to the problem. But, unfortunately, they will be the ones suffering the effects of global warming first.

"The most privileged people on this planet are not going to really feel the effects and I think it's uncomfortable to have to address your privilege, but you have to let that go," she says. "Here in the West we have become really comfortable with the lifestyle we are living and it's hard to change that, regardless of what the issue is." But, as Astrid reinforces, no one has all the answers to combatting climate change. "Politicians want to project this image that everything is under control, instead of being honest and just saying they don't really know what solutions are going to be and what they're going to look like."

The main demands of Fridays for Future are that governments follow the Paris agreement (given that it has been signed by multiple nations who do not stay in line with it), endeavour to keep global warming under 1.5°C, and listen to the science. In addition, they also demand climate justice. Astrid states that, according to the science, it is possible to stay under 1.5°C – but it requires us to take action. Whether these demands are realistic depends on when the changes will be made; though she suggests that "it is very easy for other climate activists to demand action 'right now', but nothing is going to happen overnight."

Photographers unknown

“EVERY PERSON AND EVERY VOICE REALLY COUNTS.”

Astrid's advice to someone who feels as if they are too insignificant to make a difference is that "every person and every voice really counts. If we take the Fridays for Future movement as an example, Greta Thunberg started one year ago sitting alone outside parliament, and that has turned into millions all over the world. We can't keep thinking that someone else is going to fix our problems; we really need to be the change we wish to see."

Referring to the ripple effect, Astrid stresses that regardless of its size, any act you do is bound to influence others. "One of the worst things we can do for the climate is accept 'business as usual'." Disrupting the system is one way to prevent this, which is where she says that global movements such as Extinction Rebellion succeed.

“…I FEEL CERTAIN THAT CHANGE IS COMING.”

When asked whether she foresees the changes occurring, Astrid reveals that she actually feels very optimistic about the future. "I can’t really explain why, but I really see potential for what we humans and what we as a civilisation can do together. I really see that if we're campaigning as we are today, I feel certain that this change is coming."

Photographer unknown

“MOTHER EARTH IS STILL GOING TO SURVIVE,”

"At the end of the day this is bigger than us, even if global warming escalates and we all die out Mother Earth is still going to survive it, but my optimism in the future is what helps keep me going. Though, even when we are optimistic it's still important to be very critical and questioning and really put your foot down and draw the line when things are not okay."

While the future of our climate in crisis is uncertain, one thing is for sure; the youth won’t be backing down until someone answers the emergency call.