8-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam spoke at the COP25 climate conference in Madrid.
She made an emotional appeal to leaders and urged them to “act now” against climate change. The young activist from Manipur dubbed ‘India’s Greta Thunberg’ has already spoken in 21 countries.
Kangujam said at the conference:
“I have come here to tell the world leaders that this is the time to act and it is a real climate emergency. What I want is not about today or tomorrow but what needs to be done. When I was born, our leaders already met 16 times in the COP and the world already knew about the bad effects of climate change. You policymakers from around the world show up every year at COP and do nothing concrete for our future. Why should I come here? Why should I speak here? I have to go back to my school, I have to read my books, I have to play and study. But our leaders are ruining our whole life and our future. This is not fair!”
She started activism when she was 6, protesting weekly outside the Parliament, asking PM Modi to pass law on climate change and even had to drop out of school. With her father’s help, she started ‘The Child Movement’ organisation, calling on leaders to save the planet.
