RISING SEAS, RISING YOUTH: YOUTH CLIMATE ACTION IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Greta Thunberg was only 15 when she skipped school on Fridays to protest against the lack of action for the climate crisis. What started as a small-scale protest has inspired a global movement of school strikes for climate called ‘Fridays for Future’ which is orchestrated by students from all over the world. In September 2019, more than four million people took part in a series of international climate strikes, making it the biggest climate protest in history. With that, this rising phenomenon of youth-initiated climate action has drawn the world’s attention to climate change in ways that decades of scientific studies could not. This thesis aims to analyze the biography of the younger generation and examine why and how youths are involved in the climate movement, with a specific focus on Singapore. Unlike Western liberal democracies, the political climate in Singapore is governed by strict regulations which severely limit avenues for expression. As such, strikes and demonstrations are highly discouraged and frowned upon. This thesis hence draws on the narratives of several youth climate activists and advocates in Singapore and explores how they have developed alternative tactics to engage with climate action. This thesis also explores (1) the sociological significance of youthhood and how it impacts the youths’ decisions and experiences, (2) the urgent and complex nature of the climate issue and, (3) the socio-political environment in Singapore. Taken together, they contribute to the unique nature of local youth involvement with climate activism.