Nicole Becker: Turn that anger into collective action

“When I began to understand that the climate crisis had to do with the violation of basic human rights, such as the right to health, the right to drinking water, the right to housing, and even to life, that's when it clicked in my mind,” says Nicole who is training to be a lawyer in Buenos Aires.

“I began to read the projections towards what the future was going to be that my generation was going to have to inherit but which in turn we had not received. It was a bit of that anguish that pushed me to turn that anger, that concern, into action. And I think I made one of the best decisions of my life, which was to turn that anger into collective action.”

“What happened was - on Instagram, I saw a video of Greta [Thunberg] and other young people from Europe calling for the first international mobilization that took place on 15 March 2019”. And what that video meant to me was ‘well, why don’t I know anything about this? And why didn’t that movement that was brewing in Europe exist here in Argentina where I live?’ Actually, that question and that curiosity led me to start researching the subject. And when I searched “climate change” the first site that appeared was the United Nations and the title read “the climate crisis is a matter of human rights”.

That same year, Argentina faced exceptionally high temperatures and major flooding in parts of the country due to the changing climate. In fact, annual financial risk and loss calculations from weather-related events showed that the deadly floods in Argentina and Uruguay in January 2019 were one of the 40 most destructive and costliest global disasters of the year.

Today, Argentina continues to face record levels of glacier retreat, droughts and devastating heatwaves - conditions that are seen across the world. As the planet continues to warm, the effects of climate change are stronger, felt more frequently and across more ecosystems and countries. However, countries considered at ‘extreme high-risk’ for climate and environmental hazards such as air pollution, floods and heatwaves are the ones who emit the least, says UNICEF.

Recognizing everyone’s right to a healthy environment, in 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution establishing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. In July 2022, the United Nations largest convening power - the General Assembly - followed suit.

“All human rights depend on a healthy environment. We cannot be healthy, eat adequate and nutritious food, drink clean water and breathe clear air without it,” said Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Glion Human Rights Dialogue in May 2022.

As a climate activist driven to push for change, Nicole is optimistic that a better world is possible. “Sometimes we forget that another world is possible,” she says. “I believe that my advice would be - do not forget that another world is possible. Another world that is more socially and environmentally just.”

“Above all, I think that what I hope for the most is that there is consensus and agreement on ‘what is that path to follow’ and that we all agree on how we walk there together, and that in a few years we will really be able to stop that [climate change]. Because I believe that the only way to stop the climate crisis is with collective action. And that also has to do with agreements between governments, between countries, and the private sector. I think the situation is clear - if we don't take action, the future that awaits us is not going to be very pretty. But I think it is important that we agree on what that path is. And that this path is environmentally and socially fairer.”