By Samantha Kingsbury

There is rarely a consensus on any issue. However, for climate change, more than 150 million teens across the globe agree that climate change requires more attention. 

Below are a selection of opinions of teens from across the world about climate change and envisioning sustainable living in their countries. 

“I wish we could live more sustainably, as in living in harmony with nature,” Regina, a 15-year-old from Mexico, said.

Regina and her friends try to do everything possible to diminish their contributions to climate change. She believes big corporations should also be cognizant of their actions; the health of humans and nature need to be prioritized over making money. Even though putting the environment and its sustainability first might lower economic growth, this tradeoff is worth it to continue living sustainably. 

“We need to live sustainably to be able to meet our own needs without compromising the ability or safety of future generations to live just as well,” Xen, a 14-year-old from Australia, said. 

While Xen tries to decrease their impact on climate change, their family refuses to do anything individually despite their recognition of the problem. 

“We don’t like that it’s real, but we’re too lazy to do anything about it, which I dislike,” Laila, a 15-year-old from Lithuania, said with regards to her friends. 

Laila learns about climate change in school and speaks fondly of the “taromatas” supporting sustainability. They are machines that pay 10¢ or 0.1 € per bottle that is recycled into it.  

“Motivate people to recycle with money and it will most likely work,” Laila commented. She wishes world leaders would do much more to combat climate change. 

When asked what she would do if she had power, 14-year-old Beth from England said she would “try and make a big push to use more renewable energy for buildings and cars, along with making more farms and local food sources instead of importing most of England’s food—55% of our food is imported because we’re an island—because this exponentially increases our carbon footprint.”

When talking to older relatives, Beth notices they do not assign the weight to climate change she thinks they should. However, when talking to people her age, they talk resentfully about how their lives are affected by climate change. 

Beth tries her best to minimize her carbon footprint by buying plastic-free shampoo and body bars. However, she recognizes the privilege of her ability to purchase them. 

“The government needs to start listening to scientists about the impacts of environmental changes,” Beth said. “They should stop thinking solely about how to rise up in the capitalistic world and instead think of innovations so we, and future generations, can exist on a habitable earth.”

Learning these attitudes is only a peek at worldwide teen feelings, but it is powerful to take in, reflect on one’s contributions, and spur new actions. 

These teens’ perspectives will influence their countries’ policies in a few decades––if the planet survives that long. 

Samantha Kingsbury is a junior at Nueva High School in San Mateo.