FFF MAPA Activist: Yusuf Baluch
He has been involved in Climate activism since his childhood but he was not having good knowledge about the Climate crisis since they weren’t being thought about it, but because of a lot of consequences they have faced, he just felt it deeply and started raising his voice against Climate change!
Yusuf Baluch is a 17-year-old climate activist from Balochistan, Pakistan.
Süheyla: Please tell us, how would you describe the climate crisis?
Yusuf: The climate crisis isn’t just an issue that is causing millions of death every year, it’s an issue that is spreading hate, racism and it’s one of the main factors which is against UN SDGs, it’s causing hunger, thrust, and poverty. We think that burning fossil fuels can make our economy stronger, we are mistaken it’s pushing us behind by causing other major issues which are affecting our economy!
The Scientists declared Climate Emergency, just because we are in an Emergence situation where humanity is in danger, Animals are becoming inhabitants, glaciers are melting, oceans are heating up, which is causing sea-level rise, Cities are flooded, Where many cities are going to drown, Wildfires and heat waves are common in many places in the world, This is why climate justice is a racial justice, This is why we call it Humanity is going to end now If we don’t take actions!
Süheyla: Who do you from inspire? How did you notice the climate problem?
Yusuf: When Greta Thunberg traveled for the UN Climate change summit to the US with the zero-emission boat and gave a fabulous and inspiring speech there, I got so much motivation and since then I just wanted to raise my voice! And to save my people from the issue which we are facing but the world can’t see it just because they don’t want to see it, and they aren’t giving importance to this!
We got so many floods in Balochistan in the following years, including drought and extreme heat, many people had lost their lives and become homeless, animals are dying because of drought and extremely hot temperatures. This led me to start activism.
Süheyla: What environmental challenges is your country facing?
Yusuf: Pakistan is one the most vulnerable country to the Climate crisis, we have been affected the most, As we get flooding almost every year, including severe heat and drought (In some areas like Balochistan and Sindh). Monsoon rains have been one of the main reasons for flooding and crops don’t get properly set up to meet their requirements to grow, our economy depends on 20% of agriculture, it’s causing socio-economic problems in the country, In some northern areas of Pakistan, glaciers are melting and many villages are being affected by it. Air pollution has been one of the major causes of many hazardous diseases which is common in many metropolitan cities of Pakistan such as Karachi and Lahore, People even can’t breathe properly, Diseases like asthma, Lung Disease, Breath shortage, Cancer, heart failures are being caused by it!
Süheyla: Do you think governments take climate activism seriously?
Yusuf: We can bring change once we get started educating people about the climate crisis and this is what is not being practiced in the country, Government holds an immense responsibility to look forward to bring climate education in institutions that every child get to know about the climate crisis, it’s impacted in our world and how it is being caused, that they can lend a hand to work for that to bring some changes, Instead of this, In Pakistan Fossil fuels usage has been increased since the government is signing more and more development projects such as CPEC (China Pakistan economic corridor) which is going to affect us the most, by building more and more coal power plants, roads and increase in Transportation!
Süheyla: What are your recommendations about a green future, ecology, and pollution?
Yusuf: The one and the only thing we want is to switch to renewable energy, end plastic pollution, save trees if you can’t plant one!
The more we use renewable energy the more we get an advantage and it’s very important to meet the SDGs, It’s even healthier for people. My recommendation is everyone should work for that By educating their children and taking action, actions are louder than words, fight for your future, Fight for your generations, Fight for 1.5 °C!
We have the solution, Actions are needed! So fight for it, we are going to make it together!
#climatechange #climatecrisis #iklimkrizi #climateactivist #FFF
