“How many animals gone extinct?” When Antonia Godber opened her laptop and saw this question typed into Google she knew immediately who had asked it: her 11-year-old son, Will. As a mum of three and former teacher, Antonia is used to talking with children about issues that concern them – as many parents have had to recently, while explaining why we’re all staying inside and what a virus is. But whereas most childhood fears might not seem scary to an adult, Antonia shares her son’s anxiety about the planet – an issue that we can’t hope to rid of within a year or 18 months like coronavirus, and is worth remembering ahead of Earth Day on Wednesday. “When I read the IPCC report in 2018, it hit me like a ton of bricks,” she says. The UN document warned that humans have only 12 years to stop global warming exceeding 1.5C, to avert a significant increase in the risks of droughts, floods and extreme heat. “I became extremely frightened,” says Antonia. “I was crying all the time.” Warnings about the impact of the climate crisis on younger generations have become increasingly stark – earlier this year, the World Health Organisation and Unicef said “ecological damage unleashed today endangers the future of children’s lives” – so it is unsurprising that some parents are desperately worried. “It’s a primal instinct to protect your children,” says Antonia. “And the thought you might not be able to is excruciating.” To view the full article visit iNews.
