C’est l’un des discours les plus émouvants prononcés par la jeune militante kényane Elizabeth Wathuti devant les dirigeants mondiaux réunis du 31 octobre au 12 novembre 2021 à Glasgow pour la Cop26.

Née le 1er août 1995, Elizabeth Wathuti est une militante écologiste kényane. Elle a fondé Green Generation, une organisation ayant pour objectif de sensibiliser les jeunes aux questions environnementales, notamment à travers un projet qui a conduit à la plantation de 30 000 arbres

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« My name is Elizabeth Wathuti. I am a a youth climate activist from Kenya. I have done a lot of soul searching about what to say here today. I’ve asked myself over and over what words might move you (…). My story will only move you if you can open up your heart.

I need to tell you what is happening in my home country. Right now as you sit confortably here in this conference center in Glasgow, over 2 millions of my fellow kenyans are facing climate related starvation. In these past years, both of our rainy seasons have failed and scientists say that it may be another 12 months before the waters return again. Meanwile our rivers are running dry, our harvests are failing, our straw houses stand empty, our animals and people are dying. I’ve seen with my own eyes 3 young children crying at the side of a dried up river after walking 12 miles with their mother to find water.

Please, open your hearts. This is not only happening in Kenya. Over the past few months, there have been deadly heatwaves and wild fires in Algeria and devastating floods in Uganda and Nigeria, and there is still more to come. By 2025, in just 4 years time half of the world population will be facing water scarcity. And by the time i am 50, the climate crisis will have displaced 86 millions people in subsaharian Africa alone. I would like you to join me in holding a moment of compassion and silence for the billions of people who are not here today, whose stories have not been heard and whose suffering is not being felt.

The children are not responsible (…), but it’s our responsability to ensure that the children have food and water. I’ve been doing what i can(..). i founded the Green Generation Initiative, a tree growing initiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans. Everyday we see that when we look after the trees, they look after us. But these trees and the life saving fruits they bear will not survive on a 2.7° Celcus warmer planet. The decisions you make here will help determine whether the rains will return to our land. The decisions you make here will help determine whether the fruit trees we plant will live or perish. The decisions you make here will help determine whether the children will have food or water.

I believe in our human capacity to care deeply and to act collectively, to do what is right if we let ourselves feel it in our hearts. The children can not live on words and empty promises. They are waiting for you to act. Please open your hearts and then act ».

Son engagement rappelle celui de Wangari Muta Maathai, la première femme africaine à recevoir le prix Nobel de la paix et initiatrice du mouvement Green Belt Movement. Wangari Muta Maathai disait que l’environnement et les ressources naturelles sont un aspect important de la paix car, lorsqu’on détruit nos ressources, lorsque nos ressources se raréfient, nous nous battons pour nous les approprier.

Combien d’entre nous sont prêts à ouvrir nos cœurs pour agir ? Les dirigeants des grandes nations ont-ils vraiment saisi l’importance de ce discours ? Vont-ils prendre le temps de méditer chaque mot ? Même si certains sont restés figés et d’autres déconcertés, l’issue de la COP-26 reste incertaine, surtout lorsque l’on observe comment elle s’est conclue. Chacun avance ses propres arguments, et il est bien connu que toutes les opinions ne convergent pas.

Si nous ne pouvons pas ouvrir nos oreilles pour écouter, ou nos yeux pour voir tout ce qui se passe sur notre planète, ouvrons au moins nos cœurs.