In my June article I talked about an event held in April, ‘Making peace – in the world, in country and in ourselves’. The event was a collaboration between the Medical Association for Prevention of War and Transition Margaret River. We were delighted that the response to the event was positive, especially to the components involving young speakers.
Bronte Halden (16) is one of 20 young people chosen to be a part of the Youth Marine Stewardship Program run by Nature Conservation, Margaret River and sponsored by the World Surf League.
She said: “The main reason I wanted to be part of this program was my profound love for the ocean and everything that lives in it. I also thought this program was the perfect way to give back to the marine environment we have all been lucky enough to enjoy for such a long time.
“The day that I knew that saving the ocean was what I wanted to do was after an encounter on Ningaloo Reef. On holidays up north I was swimming at Turquoise Bay when out of the blue I saw the most beautiful thing I have ever seen – a turtle.
“She swam away after about 10 seconds but before I knew it I was crying, crying of pure happiness, so much my dad had to tow me about 100m back to shore.”
The young marine stewards identified threats to our local marine ecosystem then devise innovative solutions, helped by local experts. In the next few months, Bronte and her team will implement a program that has the community working together to reduce plastic pollution. As well as this campaign and her studies, Bronte runs her own small business and donates the profits to environmental causes.
Other youngsters who spoke were Year 12 high school students Will Dallimore and Emma Heyink, both active in the fight for climate action. Will is 16 and has been involved in climate campaigns since 2022. Emma (17) helped found the Margaret River Youth Climate Collective when she was 14 and since then has been organising for climate and social justice both locally and nationally. The Collective focuses on climate justice, acknowledging that climate change disproportionately affects the people who have done the least to cause it, often already marginalised groups like First Nations people.
Like many young folk, the future scares them.
Will said: “as a kindergartener, I vividly remember the day when I looked out through the glass doors of my house and saw flames on the horizon. The sky was thick with smoke, and the distant roar of the approaching bushfire sent shivers down my spine. I was the first one to notice, running to tell my parents, and evacuated.
“Unlike many others, we were lucky; our property was not burnt, but that experience has still become ingrained in my mind. This experience, unfortunately, is not uncommon for people my age; we have grown up watching the region burn in fires driven by climate change, from the second most destructive fire in Australia when I was four, to the most recent 2021 fires, and seen first-hand the effects of climate change on people and the environment.
“I am terrified about my future. The impacts of the fossil fuel industry, destroying country, destroying the climate and my hopes of a safe future, scares me more than anything. It’s becoming more and more clear as the climate crisis worsens, and so does the delay of action, that our leaders and laws do not act in our best interests and continue to favour profit over people and justice.”
Justice is something they both feel passionate about.
“True peace lies in the presence of justice and liberation for all,” says Emma. “It’s so hard not to be angry, scared, frustrated, or most commonly overwhelmed by the climate crisis or generally the world right now. It is no longer just our future that is at risk, it’s our now.
“Antonio Guterres, the General Secretary of the UN, has called any investment in fossil fuels moral and economic madness.”
These young people are not just leaders of the future, they are stepping up now. They need our help.
“So many people are concerned about the climate crisis and other issues in the world, but continue to do nothing about it, apart from a Facebook share here or signing a petition once in a while,”’ Will said. “But despairing, being concerned, without doing anything, is detrimental to yourself and the wider world.”’
Emma summed up: “We want to leave you all with a call to action – everyone, no matter how busy you are, you have a role in the fight for climate justice and liberation everywhere.”
