COP28: 12-year-old Indian activist storms stage, calls for 'end to fossil fuels'
COP28 Dubai: At the recent United Nations Climate Conference 2023 (COP28) in Dubai, Licypriya Kangujam, a 12-year-old climate activist from Manipur, made a bold statement. She stormed onto the stage, brandishing a sign that read, "End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future." This spontaneous act of protest drew immediate applause from the audience, although she was swiftly escorted away after delivering a brief speech advocating against the use of fossil fuels.
Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, the COP28 Director-General, commended the young activist's passion and encouraged the audience to show appreciation with another round of applause.
However, Licypriya Kangujam faced repercussions for her actions. She revealed in a social media post that she was detained for over 30 minutes following her protest. Her statements highlighted the disconnect between advocating against fossil fuels, a major contributor to the climate crisis, and facing consequences for expressing her stance within the UN premises.
Her posts on social media platforms emphasised her right to voice concerns at the UN and raised questions about the violation of child rights within the UN premises. The issue of phasing out fossil fuels has been a central discussion at COP28, drawing participation from nearly 200 countries attempting to address this critical matter.
With about 60,000 delegates from 190 nations participating in this year's climate conference, the 12-year-old activist, also a Special Envoy of Timor Leste, brought attention to the urgent need for action on climate change.
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- With inputs from agencies
