Young people have to play their role in protecting the environment, says climate change ambassador
Showing the way: Tharika Fernando
When it comes to climate change, young people from all over the world are now being heard and are using their skills for climate action.
A passionate young activist, 27-year-old civil engineer Tharika Fernando was appointed as a Climate Change Ambassador by the Global Youth Climate Network, an initiative of the World Bank Youth Community in January.
A product of Devi Balika Vidyalaya and graduate of the Asian Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Tharika believes young people have to play a vital role and be the change makers in society.
Her interest in climate change emerged while completing her undergraduate studies in Thailand where she was a frequent participant in discussions and studies on these issues. Returning to Sri Lanka following her graduation she began work as part of the Climate Resilience Improvement Project (CRIP) implemented by the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management. The project was the very first funded by the World Bank to produce a climate study in a South Asian context.
As an ambassador she’s responsible for raising awareness among the youth about climate change matters and the activities which can be done to minimize its effects. Undertaking extensive research to produce findings which can help influence local government to bring about policy changes, she’s also involved in conducting physical activities such as beach cleanups and reforestation activities and encouraging society to adopt more environmentally conscious lifestyles to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.
She’s been inspired by activists and change makers locally and around the world – notably, she says, contributions such as the invention of the low cost sanitary napkin making machine by Indian social entrepreneur, Arunachalam Muruganantham whose products have not only revolutionized menstrual health for rural women but are also made using natural materials and do not contain polymers. Similarly, she credits businesses which adopt eco-friendly practices like the Sri Lankan fashion brand, House of Lonali, which upcycles discarded fabrics and transforms them into revamped clothes and lifestyle products.
For many activists the pandemic has been a defining moment for action. Tharika says she’s been able to devise sustainable solutions to address certain problem areas during this time. With deliveries and donations being made more frequently, plastic and other packaging materials are constantly being used and in response to this, Tharika founded the charity, ‘Today for Tomorrow’ in June to supply bags made out of eco-friendly materials to charities and other organizations distributing dry rations to the needy.
‘Today for Tomorrow’ is also working on supplying biodegradable plates and cups to quarantine centres around the country to replace their plastic counterparts. “Our nation has so many alternatives. I would like to encourage the youth to set goals and be an example for the generations to come,” she says. The charity also raises awareness through their media advocacy network where they share detailed reviews on climate related movies, books and podcasts with climate entrepreneurs. She also represented Sri Lanka at the 5th World Youth Parliament of Water in March this year.
As a civil engineer for the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Tharika is also engaged in a complex project to implement a new centralized wastewater system which would allow for the proper treatment of this water before releasing it into the ocean in a manner safe for the environment.
Most recently, while reading for her Masters in Water Resources Engineering and Management at the University of Moratuwa, she’s founded another charity with her fellow postgraduates. Yet to be officially named, it aims to support people diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology/Uncertain cause(CKDU). With the cause of the disease widely believed to be the quality of water consumed, and many in rural areas unable to seek medical attention due to financial difficulties, they aim to help those affected to receive much needed dialysis treatment.
“Most of these actions should be youth driven because it is this generation which will face the brunt of these critical issues in the coming years,” Tharika says, urging young people to fulfil their role by contributing to the betterment of society and the ecosystem.“With huge ongoing environmental issues going on we cannot be sure of what the future holds but if we can uphold our responsibilities and give back what we received from nature, I believe we can make a change,” she says.