How knowledge can unlock climate action - and hope

These were the chants of millions of young school kids around the globe, myself included, during strikes held before the COVID-19 pandemic.

We want change from our political leaders. We want fossil fuels relegated to history, and for clean, renewable energy to become the goal of the present.

Yet, we were criticised for skipping school just to strike.

We should study for our future. A future now not even guaranteed.

Growing up, I was quite lucky to learn a little about climate change at home, and to some extent in school.

Nevertheless, I never understood its full devastating potential.

By taking action and through education, we are driving hope over fear for the future.

We should now focus our efforts on educating our kids about the detrimental impacts of climate change - and how we effectively combat those impacts.

A new Plan International report, Reimagining Climate Education and Youth Leadership, surveyed 1800 15-24 year olds from 37 countries.

It found 98 per cent of young people surveyed are worried about the climate emergency.

It reported that the lack of nuanced discussions in schools globally around climate change is limiting young people's perspectives on how they can effectively source meaningful solutions and have a positive impact.

Although education is a great way for many individuals to become informed and compassionate about climate justice, we must also consider the feelings of guilt and sadness that many young people experience around the great threat to the planet posed by the climate emergency.

Eco-anxiety is something that I have had for most of my climate justice journey due to the overwhelming feeling that I cannot simply do enough to make an impact to save the earth.

I've come to realise that the best way to tackle climate anxiety is by having an understanding that we should try to do our best as individuals and we shouldn't be too harsh on ourselves when measuring our "carbon footprints".

Big corporations such as Aramco, Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell are responsible for 71 per cent of emissions around the world, producing slightly less than 33 billion tonnes a year. This compares to the average individual who only emits 10 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The real people to target and criticise should be the companies with mass amounts of gas and fossil fuels.

They are the ones ultimately failing us.

We all know our climate is changing, so why aren't we adapting or becoming more innovative in the ways we tackle this existential crisis?

It is because of denial and greed. Coal, gas, mining, fracking and pollution. What do they all have in common? They are fossil fuels that harm our environment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pushed for a gas-led recovery, suggesting that gas is more sustainable than coal and will last the Australian economy for decades while completely dismissing the idea of renewable energy.

A total of 84 per cent of youth from the Reimagining Climate Education and Youth Leadership Report say the government's efforts to include them in the climate solutions/policy were insufficient.

Young people's opinions on climate policies and the plans for the future are vital, as they will inherit the planet.

By announcing policies that can adapt and mitigate the climate crisis, we can help provide actionable tangible change for young people.

However, as the report notes, only 39 per cent of the young people surveyed said they knew how to adapt to climate impacts.

Sure, recycling, turning off the lights, and walking to school are all important steps, but few young people are accessing detailed information about the adaptation policy needed to mitigate climate change.

Schools often lack detailed information on all aspects of the climate crisis as well as conversations that should entail intersectionality, beyond the typical "how-to-live-a-more-sustainable-lifestyle". Thus, 49 per cent of youth felt that the information of climate change was too general and not applicable to the context they were living in.

Young people know that we cannot tackle the climate crisis without incorporating meaningful discussion around climate justice.

By including intersectionality, there are broader ways to approach this crisis, and there are already ways to solve it.

Indigenous people around the world have so much to teach about land and culture.

Within that connection, there is deep environmental wisdom, which can be critical in effectively adapting to climate change.

In Australia, it is fundamental we include First Nations peoples and their practices when it comes to tackling unprecedented events such as bushfires.

Marginalised communities are also at the forefront of climate change, often emit the least carbon emissions, and will end up facing the most severe impacts.

This socioeconomic divide further fuels the extent to which certain people will face the ramifications of climate change.

There is a strong determination for action among young people, but change comes with knowledge.

Knowledge through detailed climate education should be crucial in our educational journeys. With proper climate education, we can create a better world filled with hope and passion to beat this crisis.

Harleen, 16, is a Melbourne-born year 11 student who is striving to empower youth to find their voice and speak out about things that matter. Harleen is a youth activist with Plan International Australia. August 12 is International Youth Day.