On Monday, during the United Nations Climate Action Summit, 16 children from around the globe filed a legal complaint to protest the lack of government action against climate summit. 

Twitter

The summit witnessed teenage petitioners aged between 8 to 17 years as India’s Ridhima Pandey stood tall and questioned the member states for failing to tackle the climate crisis and how it was breaching their rights. 

The Indian Express

With her roots based in Uttarakhand, Ridhima Pandey is set on a mission to “save the future”. On her website Children vs Climate the teenager mentions: 

I want a better future. I want to save my future. I want to save our future. I want to save the future of all the children and all people of future generations. 
MSNBC

She further points out how change affects India: 

“Every year in July, there is a festival called Kanwar Yatra, which incorporates and is held near the holy Ganges River. But recently, it is much hotter in the summer and winter months. The hotter temperatures have threatened the Ganges River, which now faces lowering water levels from recent droughts – challenging the continuation of the religious rituals that are centered around it.”

Two years ago, in 2017, the young environmentalist sued the Indian government for failing to take actions against climate change. 

Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide

In her petition which was filed via her legal guardians, Ridhima demanded the courts to order the government to prepare a “carbon budget” to limit CO2 emissions & create a national climate recovery plan. 

Vidveo

After witnessing the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, Ridhima — the daughter of an active green environmentalist decided to take a stand, this is also what ignited the plea.  

Deccan Chronicle

According to Indian Express, Rahul Choudhary– the lawyer who represented her case at the National Green Tribunal mentioned:

For someone so young, she is very aware of the issue of climate change, and she is very concerned about how it will impact her in future.
The Hindu

The legal petition by these 16 teenagers during UN submit chalks out how their human rights are getting violated when their concerned nations aren’t paying attention to climate change.


Ridhima Pandey is the change that we wish to see. We need more like-minded people who are looking out for Mother Earth. 

Ridhima Pandey, you go girl!