Students React to Global Warming Summit

The United Nations Climate Summit was recently held in New York City. 120 world leaders were present for the conference where multiple environmental issues were discussed. The goal of the seminar was to cut carbon emissions, build resilience and mobilize markets.

Junior Graham Murphy, an environmental advocate, was encouraged by the dialogue the conference created.

“It’s a relief that world leaders are finally deciding to come together in an attempt to remedy perhaps the biggest issue of our time.” Murphy said. “It is our responsibility as humans, having created this disaster, to fix the damage we have done.

Murphy isn’t alone in his passion for ending the environmental crisis. At the same time as the Summit, the People’s Climate March, an eco-protest on Wall Street, attracted nearly half a million people. It sent a message to the 100-plus world leaders at the Summit to take action. Thousands of other protests were held worldwide to raise awareness.

“There’s one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other. And that is the urgent and growing threat of a changing climate,” said President Obama at the Climate Summit.

The president also said that the U.S. as one of the most powerful countries in the world and a significant consumer of fossil fuels, has to be the forerunner in the fight against climate change.

According to Murphy, a key part in the struggle against climate change is environmental consciousness. “We can’t expect people to come together to combat one of the biggest issues of our time if they are not aware of how or why they should”, Murphy said.

At East, classes like Environmental Education give students a more hands on approach that has a practical application for the current environmental crisis.

“Through Environmental Ed I’ve built an appreciation for nature,” Senior Levi Enochs said. “I used to not care about climate change but ever since I’ve been learning about how it affects the environment and endangers so many different species including our own, I’ve become more conscious.”

Although more people are becoming aware of environmental issues, many Americans still aren’t directly affected by climate change. However small island states such as the Marshall Islands, only 6 feet above sea level, see the detrimental effects routinely; facing rampant droughts and flooding. One of the keynote speakers at the Climate Summit, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, is a citizen of the Marshall Islands. She recited a poem to the general assembly in the opening ceremonies. It was written from the perspective of her future self to her infant daughter it conveyed a lot of emotion.

“No one’s moving. No one’s losing their homeland. No one’s becoming a climate change refugee. We are drawing the line here,” she concluded.

Time will tell whether or not the current environmental issues will be solved. The next summit will be held in December in Lima, Peru where more agreements will be solidified. According to Murphy however, it is an individual responsibility to make good choices that don’t harm the environment.

“Ultimately, it is up to the everyday man and woman to take it upon themselves to consume less resources, and re-purpose and recycle what they can,” Murphy said.

Murphy also believes companies and corporations should be incentivized to be more environmentally friendly.

“We need to give them a reason to care”, Murphy said. “Give benefits to the cleanest and greenest companies, and maybe even penalize those that aren’t. You could say it’s an interference of capitalism, but in the big picture, what’s more important, the pockets of the already rich, or the long term survival of our planet?”

Murphy is relieved that world leaders are finally acting on climate change, but regardless, he believes the ultimate responsibility lies with the individual.

“The whole movement towards a greener society depends on the actions of the everyday citizen”, said Murphy. “Their willingness to make slight changes to their lifestyle for a greater cause.”