Last Sunday, young people across the country were watching as the carbon price was announced. This is what the day meant for Coralie from Wollongong.
The sunrise couldn’t have been more beautiful Sunday morning. As it rose beams of hope flooded the nation, as this was the day that the details of the Carbon Price package would be released.
On Sunday, our generation was given hope of a sustainable environmental inheritance, so the sunrise meant a lot more than the dawning of a new day. It signified the dawning of a new era in Australian history, where big polluters pay for the damage done to our planet, and we are one step closer to knowing that our planet will be worth inheriting.
Young people stand to lose the most from climate change, and our nation putting a price on pollution is about protecting our future. Never in my life have I been more proud to be an Australian. On the 10th of this month we made history, and I now have hope that our future and our children’s future will be a bright one.
This is definitely a step forward for Australia. But while the carbon price is amazing and all kinds of exciting, it’s only the first step in what will be a long journey towards a safe climate. Luckily we’ve got a youth movement full of incredibly talented and inspiring young people, all fighting for the same thing: a sustainable future for our generation and the generations to come.
This journey is one we are committed to taking. We made a big step last Sunday, but the real history making is yet to come. This important first step is only the sunrise in the dawning of the amazing changes that will sweep the nation, taking us towards being powered by 100% renewable energy sources.
The important thing to remember as we embark together on this journey is that we collectively have the power to transform the nation. Each one of us has amazing skills and a powerful personal story. It’s time we used these to show the nation why this first initial action on climate change is significant. We stand to lose the most from unmitigated climate change, but we also stand to gain the most as a movement and as an empowering force of young people.
So to all those who strongly pushed for a price on pollution, thank you. It’s because of you that our generation can hope for a brighter future. What an exciting day for Australian history, young people, and the movement!
