MP George Loucaides participated today in a debate at the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the violation of children's rights as a result of inaction on climate change.
Mr. Loucaides said that the new anxiety disorder observed in children, known as "eco-anxiety", is linked to the large-scale ecological disasters affecting the planet and is negatively affecting the physical and mental health of children and young people, whose lives and social well-being are now at immediate risk.
It is time, Mr. Loucaides stressed, for governments, politicians and international institutions to commit to finding effective solutions for the well-being of future generations, since maintaining the status quo is no longer an option. Referring to the Paris Agreement, Mr.Loucaides underlined that climate change is an urgent and irreversible threat to societies and the planet, while due to the unequal existing socio-economic system, the impact of environmental degradation is even greater on vulnerable social groups, with disproportionate costs for the poorest social strata and children. As the Cypriot MEP underlined, it is becoming clear that people must finally be placed above profits and corporate interests in order to tackle energy poverty and promote climate justice and equity. Public authorities must reach out to young people, seeking their greater and more visible participation and promoting solutions through local, national and regional initiatives. Children and adolescents need to be involved in the dialogue and decision-making processes to tackle climate change, which is primarily their concern.
The Cypriot MEP stressed the importance of establishing a comprehensive legal framework for the protection of people who leave their country of origin due to extreme weather events, since, unfortunately, children are the main victims of forced migration.
In order for these efforts to bear fruit, Mr.Loucaides stressed that there must be cooperation between governments, civil society, including children and businesses. The common goal must be the implementation of relevant international treaties, such as the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the inclusion in the European Convention on Human Rights of the right to a healthy environment, in order to ensure to the maximum extent possible the protection of future generations and the sustainability of the environment.
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