Not long ago, it seemed as though environmental activism and promotion of environmental advocates were everywhere. Greta Thunberg, an extremely popular Swedish environmental activist, and advocates met with world leaders, calls to action were posted all over social media feeds and protests were happening all over the world. But today, unfortunately, much of this advocacy has faded away, or at least changed.
There has been a noticeable drop in the visibility of environmental activism on news and social media platforms. As mentioned above, Thunberg was once a constant presence in the media for her climate justice actions, and although she has continued strong activism, it is not as widely promoted. In the past few years, environmental activism has had to compete with many other urgent and devastating issues, and now it seems to have blended into the background, becoming yet another emergency we have become desensitized to.
Another undeniable factor contributing to the decline in attention to climate activism is the influence of political and public figures. U.S. President Donald Trump has infamously promoted climate change to his followers as a “hoax” and a non-issue, he has also rolled back environmental regulations and eliminated laws that may help the climate. Other world leaders around the globe have also largely ignored climate concerns and dismissed science, discouraging real action.
Most disturbing is that with this decline in attention to environmental justice, data only shows that the climate issue is worsening rapidly, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The facts and effects of climate change are not stopping, and awareness and advocacy must not either. Our Earth is our home and the future of our children and grandchildren, and by not taking action to slow climate change, we are harming future generations. Activism is not a trend and should not be treated as one.
Climate change is our future, and we are staring it right in the face every day, even if it is not getting the attention it deserves. Even with less coverage of protest and advocacy, they are still going on because the stakes are higher than ever. We must stay informed, stay updated on our own, because environmental justice is being hidden.
