Children's letters to leaders inform new book
Children worldwide wrote to top politicians urging them to address climate crisis
Heartfelt letters from almost 100 primary school children from across the world urging their respective leaders to take more action to address the climate crisis have informed a new book aimed at a young audience, explaining how climate change affects our daily lives, how the world has responded over the past 10 years, and what it needs to do in the next 10 years.
Dear World Leaders has been launched by the Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) alongside publishing all the letters from the children (https://doi.org/10.25411/aru.14540628).
The book has been sent to leaders of the children’s home countries including the UK, India, USA, Australia, Russia, Hungary, Nigeria, Mexico, and Brazil, as well as leading politicians involved in the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP26) being held in Glasgow from 31 October, inviting them to respond.
The letters provide an indication of how younger generations are already being affected by the climate crisis.
Emma, from the UK, wrote:
Rajeev, from India, wrote:
Beautifully illustrated by students from the BA (Hons) Illustration course at ARU, Dear World Leaders describes how climate change impacts a range of issues such as where we live, our jobs, and our food. It also includes lesson plans for young people.
The book has been published to mark the 10th anniversary of the GSI, which has carried out regular important and influential research in the field of sustainability. Children who were about the same age as the GSI were invited to send in their letters.
Professor Aled Jones, Director of the GSI at ARU, said:
“School children cannot yet vote but their voices need to be heard by our political leaders.”
Funding for the book was provided by the ESRC Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity.