Among the 16 young activists who filed a lawsuit in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, was an Indian, Ridhima Pandey, an 11-year-old activist from Uttarakhand who said that her mission is to “save the future.” 

The 16 young activists claim that the future generations are at risk due to lack of government action on the climate crisis by Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey.

“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,” reads Ridhima’s bio on the website of Children vs Climate Crisis.

“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.”
– Ridhima Pandey, one of 16 children who filed a complaint on climate crisis to the UN child rights committee. #UNGA pic.twitter.com/E8O2ZlmfAo

— UNICEF India (@UNICEFIndia) September 24, 2019

Ridhima’s efforts to save the environment began long back in 2013 when her father, Dinesh Pandey, also an environmental activist, became a victim of the Uttarakhand floods, which claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands dispersed. The floods compelled her father to transfer to Haridwar.

In March 2017, at the age of 9, Ridhima filed a complaint against the Indian government with the National Green Tribunal.

“My government has failed to take steps to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing extreme climate conditions. This will impact both me and future generations. My country has huge potential to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and because of the Government’s inaction, I approached the National Green Tribunal,” Ridhima had said in 2017. 

In her petition, she said that ‘India was one of the most vulnerable countries to be affected by climate change’ and called for immediate government action to assess industrial projects, prepare a carbon budget and create a climate recovery plan.

In addition to her demands for strong action, she also wants the government to stop using fossil fuels, protect forests, grasslands, soil, mangroves, engage in massive reforestation and improve agricultural and forestry practices.

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