“The world moves on, but Taiwan stands still!” Youth march to Qatar to fight for the “future”

Reported by You Tzu-ju / Taipei

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it!” The “Taiwan Youth March to the UN” campaign, organized by the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition, will depart on November 21 for Qatar to attend the UN Climate Change Conference, voicing the demands of Taiwanese youth to the world.


▲The Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition will head to the UN next Wednesday (11/21). (Photo / Provided by Yenlai Chang)

“Time is ticking, are we moving?”, yesterday (17th), the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition held a pre-departure press conference, where COP18 team leader Yenlai Chang urged: “The Taiwanese government and the public must adopt a more proactive stance in addressing the impacts of climate change.”

Taiwan is an island nation with limited land and a dense population. The government lacks visionary policies on energy, food security, and environmental protection. Progress in adapting to climate change has been minimal, leaving Taiwan’s future facing unpredictable consequences. Moreover, the government’s lack of transparency in providing information to its people and its deliberate neglect of international climate issues may steer Taiwan toward a difficult future.

“Our team hopes to use these alarming slogans to draw the attention of the government and the public to the issue of climate change and to inspire action. The power of youth is the key to generational change,” said Lee Chih-jung, CEO of the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition.

Beyond raising their voices, Taiwanese youth also employed creative animal-themed performance art, using animal masks to bring species such as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the Formosan black bear, and the black-faced spoonbill from Tainan to life, highlighting the environmental challenges they face. Resource devastation caused by humans has made it impossible for people to face reality, but through the actions of youth, they march to the UN to seek solutions.


▲International youth addressing climate change hope Taiwan will not be absent, and that their voices will be heard more loudly on the global stage. (Photo / Provided by Yenlai Chang)
 
In early December this year (2012), in addition to the youth team traveling to Qatar (Qatar) to participate in the Climate Change Conference, there will also be a joint response event held in Taiwan in collaboration with the Ecopsi youth team. Through live video broadcasts and related activities, the public in Taiwan will be able to participate in the international conference, witness the strength and passion of Taiwanese youth on the global stage, work with international youth to address climate change, and emphasize that Taiwan must not be absent

After returning to Taiwan, the youth team will hold sharing sessions and lectures at universities, high schools, and community venues across the country, conveying their firsthand experiences and participation in climate action. They aim to inspire the public to face climate change issues actively and positively, and to help reshape a new vision for Taiwan.