Severn Cullis-Suzuki at Rio Summit 1992

We Canada

16 Aug 201208:32

Summary

TLDRSevere Suzuki, a representative of the environmental children's organization EKO, passionately addresses an audience, urging adults to change their environmentally damaging ways. Speaking for her peers and future generations, she highlights the dire consequences of inaction, including ozone depletion, extinction of species, and the disparity between the rich and the poor. Suzuki challenges the audience to reflect on their actions, reminding them of the responsibility they hold towards their children and the world. She calls for unity and action, not just words, to create a better future for all.

Takeaways

🌍 The speaker represents a group of young individuals advocating for environmental awareness, emphasizing the urgency of adult action to protect the future.
💪 The children have taken initiative, raising funds to attend the conference and voice their concerns, highlighting the proactive role of the youth in environmental issues.
👧 The speech is a plea from the younger generation for adults to change their ways, as the children feel their future is at stake due to environmental degradation.
😷 The fear of environmental consequences, such as ozone depletion and polluted air, is personally affecting the speaker and is a call for immediate action.
🐟 The mention of diseased fish and extinction of species illustrates the tangible and severe effects of environmental damage on ecosystems.
🌳 The speaker dreams of natural wonders but fears they may disappear before future generations can experience them, emphasizing the loss of biodiversity.
🕳️ There is an acknowledgment of the lack of solutions to reverse environmental damage, urging adults to stop causing further harm if they cannot fix the problems.
👪 The speech reminds the audience that everyone is part of a global family, transcending borders and governments, and should act together for a common goal.
🏦 The disparity between the wealth of the developed world and the poverty of the less fortunate is highlighted, questioning the greed and unwillingness to share resources.
🤔 The speaker challenges the audience to align their actions with their words, questioning the inconsistency between the values taught to children and the behavior of adults.
🌐 The potential for a better world is presented, suggesting that resources spent on war could be better used to solve environmental issues and poverty.

Q & A

Who is S Suzuki speaking for in the transcript?
-S Suzuki is speaking for Eko the, an environmental children's organization.
What is the age group of the children in the organization that S Suzuki represents?
-The children in the organization are aged 12 and 13 years old.
How did S Suzuki and her colleagues fund their trip to the conference?
-S Suzuki and her colleagues raised all the money themselves to come to the conference.
What is the main message S Suzuki is conveying to the adults?
-The main message is that adults must change their ways to protect the environment and the future of all generations.
Why does S Suzuki mention the ozone layer and the air quality?
-S Suzuki mentions the ozone layer and air quality to highlight the environmental issues that affect her and future generations' health and well-being.
What examples does S Suzuki give to illustrate environmental degradation?
-S Suzuki gives examples such as finding fish full of cancers, animals and plants going extinct, and the vanishing of wild animals, jungles, and rainforests.
What does S Suzuki say about the current state of the world and the lack of solutions?
-S Suzuki states that despite being a child, she knows that neither she nor the adults have all the solutions to environmental problems, and she challenges them to stop causing further damage.
What is S Suzuki's view on the sharing of resources between the wealthy and the needy?
-S Suzuki criticizes the wealthy for not sharing resources with the needy, even when they have more than enough, and highlights the willingness of a child with nothing to share.
How does S Suzuki connect the actions taught in school with the actions of adults?
-S Suzuki points out the contradiction between the values taught in school, such as not fighting, respecting others, and sharing, and the actions of adults who do not follow these principles.
What challenge does S Suzuki pose to the adults regarding their words and actions?
-S Suzuki challenges the adults to ensure that their actions reflect their words, especially their expressed love for children and their commitment to creating a better world.
What is the closing statement of the person thanking S Suzuki and her colleagues?
-The closing statement acknowledges the responsibility adults have for the world and future generations, and the importance of matching words with actions.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Call for Global Environmental Responsibility

In this passionate speech, Severn Suzuki, a young representative from Eko, an environmental children's organization, addresses the audience at a conference. She emphasizes the urgency of environmental issues and the responsibility of adults to change their ways for the sake of future generations. Suzuki, along with her peers, has self-funded their travel to raise awareness about the dire state of the environment, including the depletion of the ozone layer, pollution, and the extinction of species. She highlights the contrast between the privileged lives in developed countries and the desperate conditions faced by children in impoverished areas, urging the audience to reflect on their actions and the legacy they are leaving for future generations.

05:00

🤔 Questioning Adult Priorities and Actions

This paragraph continues with Severn Suzuki's speech, where she challenges the adults present at the conference to align their actions with their words. She points out the hypocrisy of teaching children values such as respect, sharing, and non-violence, while the world is plagued with war, environmental degradation, and poverty. Suzuki implores the adults to consider the kind of world they are creating for children and questions whether they are truly prioritizing the well-being of future generations. She ends her speech with a plea for adults to take responsibility for their actions and to make decisions that will ensure a sustainable and peaceful world for all.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Environmental Children's Organization

The Environmental Children's Organization refers to a group of young individuals, in this case, 12 and 13-year-olds, who are actively engaged in environmental activism. In the script, this organization is represented by the speakers who have come together to raise awareness about environmental issues. It is central to the video's theme as it highlights the involvement and impact of the younger generation in advocating for environmental change.

💡Future Generations

The term 'future generations' is used to represent the people who will live on Earth after the current generation. The script emphasizes the importance of considering the long-term consequences of our actions on the environment for those who will come after us. The speaker is fighting for her future and the future of all generations to come, illustrating the intergenerational responsibility towards the environment.

💡Ozone Layer

The ozone layer is a region of Earth's stratosphere that contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) molecules, which protect life on Earth by absorbing most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the script, the speaker expresses fear of going out in the sun due to 'holes in our ozone,' which relates to the theme of environmental degradation and its direct impact on human health and well-being.

💡Extinction

Extinction refers to the complete disappearance of a species so that no members of that species exist. The script mentions 'countless animals dying across this planet' and 'animals and plants going extinct every day,' emphasizing the urgency and reality of biodiversity loss. This concept is central to the video's message, highlighting the irreversible damage caused by environmental neglect.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability, while not explicitly mentioned, is a key concept that underlies the entire script. It refers to the ability to maintain environmental, economic, and social systems over the long term without depleting resources or causing harm. The speaker's concerns about the environment and the need for change imply a call for more sustainable practices to ensure a livable planet for future generations.

💡Privilege

Privilege is the special status, benefits, or advantages enjoyed by certain people or groups within a society. The script contrasts the privileged life in Canada, where there is 'plenty of food, water, and shelter,' with the plight of children living on the streets in Brazil. This keyword is crucial to the video's theme as it raises awareness about inequality and the moral obligation to share resources and opportunities.

💡Greed

Greed is an inordinate or excessive desire for wealth, status, or power. The speaker criticizes the greed of those who 'have everything' yet are unwilling to share with the 'needy.' This concept is central to the video's message, as it challenges the audience to reflect on their values and the impact of their actions on others and the environment.

💡Responsibility

Responsibility is the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or someone. The script repeatedly emphasizes the responsibility of adults and society to the environment and to future generations. The speaker challenges the audience to take responsibility for their actions and to make choices that reflect their love for the children and the planet.

💡Action

Action refers to the process of doing something rather than just talking about it. The speaker challenges the audience with the phrase 'you are what you do, not what you say,' urging them to demonstrate their love and concern through concrete actions that protect the environment and promote social justice.

💡Conference

A conference is a formal meeting of people who gather to discuss a particular topic. In the script, the speaker reminds the audience that they are attending a conference for a purpose—to make decisions that affect the world and future generations. This keyword is relevant as it underscores the importance of such gatherings in driving change and taking collective action.

💡Love

Love, in the context of the script, is the deep affection or attachment one has for others. The speaker questions the sincerity of adults who claim to love children but whose actions contribute to environmental harm and social inequality. This keyword is significant as it highlights the disconnect between professed values and actual behaviors.

Highlights

Introduction by Severn Suzuki for Eko, an environmental children's organization.

A group of 12 and 13-year-olds raised money to travel 5,000 miles to speak to adults about environmental change.

Suzuki emphasizes she has no hidden agenda and is fighting for her future and all generations to come.

Suzuki speaks on behalf of starving children and dying animals, highlighting the urgency of environmental issues.

Expresses fear of the sun and air pollution due to environmental degradation.

Shares personal experience of finding fish full of cancers in Vancouver, illustrating environmental impact.

Concerns about the extinction of wild animals and the disappearance of natural wonders.

Questions the complacency of adults in the face of environmental catastrophe.

Challenges the audience to acknowledge their lack of solutions and to stop causing further harm.

Suzuki asserts that everyone is part of a global family, transcending borders and governments.

Calls for unity and collective action towards a single environmental goal.

Criticizes the wasteful habits of developed countries and the reluctance to share resources.

Shares a story of a child living on the streets, expressing a desire to share if given the chance.

Reflects on the disparity between the teachings of schools and the actions of adults.

Implores the audience to consider the type of world they are creating for future generations.

Questions the priorities of adults and whether children are truly a priority.

Challenges adults to match their words of love with actions that protect the environment.

Closing remarks by a speaker thanking the children for their participation and reminding everyone of their responsibility.