Carbon, climate change & catalyst leadership

INCREASINGLY, global attention has turned to the impact of activities with large carbon footprints and how they contribute to climate change. What was previously perceived as a macro issue that has no bearing on an individual's life, has now caught the attention of the common woman and man who have become 'alive' to this issue and its impact on the environment.

A survey by Pew Research Center in April 2021 yields some interesting findings. Younger Americans - Millennials and Gen Z (those currently between the ages 18 and 39) - stand out in the survey for their high levels of engagement with the issue of climate change: 48 per cent of Millennials and 49 per cent of Gen Z indicate that action to reduce the effects of climate change needs to be prioritised today. What is also interesting is that this younger generation, as active media users, are bringing their cause online and getting more involved with the issue through activities such as volunteering, attending rallies and protests.

In May 2021, eight Australian teenagers, along with a 86-year-old nun, succeeded in their case to prevent the approval of a massive coalmine when they persuaded the Australian federal court that the environment minister has a duty of care to protect young people from the climate crisis - a judgment that is hailed by lawyers as a world first.