Grade 10 English Unit 1 Reading II, Open Letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

 Grade 10 English Unit 1 Reading II, Open Letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

 

Reading II

Open Letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

 

His Excellency Antonio Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General

United Nations Secretariat

42nd Street,

New York, NY 10017

7 August 2020

 

                             RE. Inclusion of Children in the  Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

Your Excellency,

 

Congratulations on your recent announcement of seven young climate leaders-between the ages of 18 and 28 years old - to your Youth Advisory Group on climate change, who will advise you regularly on accelerating global action and the action to tackle the worsening climate crisis. We appreciate this important focus on bringing young leaders into decision-making and planning processes related to climate action. We also welcome the emphasis you place on receiving and giving frank and fearless advice, and the urgency of holding government and corporate leaders to account on climate action.

 

This paragraph is talking about a group of young people who were selected to advise the United Nations about climate change. They are between the ages of 18 and 28, and they will regularly give advice to the United Nations about how to make progress in fighting climate change. The letter-writer is happy that young people are being included in this important decision-making process, and they appreciate that the United Nations wants honest advice and is serious about holding governments and companies accountable for their actions related to climate change.

 

 

We are disappointed, however, that you have not expanded this list of young climate leaders to children in all their diversity. Millions of children took part in school strikes for climate action in 2019 and early 2020 and demonstrated their outrage and constructive solutions in equal measure. They have been agents of change in the climate debate using their channels of influence-schools, social media, and street protests - to catalyze global activism on the climate crisis. We have seen children from the Global North to the Global South engaging with political and corporate leaders - in their home countries and also within the international system-most recently at the healthy and sustainable environment as a critical foundation to realizing their well-being and rights.

 

This paragraph is expressing disappointment that the Youth Advisory Group on climate change has not included children of all ages and backgrounds, despite the fact that millions of children have been involved in climate activism through things like school strikes and social media. Children have been influential in the climate debate and have engaged with leaders around the world to demand action on climate change, and their voices should be included in decision-making processes. The letter emphasizes the importance of a healthy and sustainable environment for the well-being and rights of all children.

 

It was, after all, a child, Greta Thunberg, who sparked this global movement through an inspiriting solo protest in 2018. By 2019, she was able to rightly assert: "We proved that it doesn't matter what you do and that no one is too small to make a difference." In 2020, children are saying the same thing. Like Fabrizio, a 16 years old boy from Peru, who told us on a recent child-led online conversation. "The Future of Children is at stake now, tomorrow will be too late." Children like Fabrizio are vocal in their anxiety that our dash to economic recovery will scupper climate change at net-zero commitments. They continue to pressure on us all for urgency and to fight for a green recovery.

 

The passage is discussing how a young girl named Greta Thunberg began a worldwide movement by protesting in 2018. She believed that even small actions can have an impact, and by 2019, she inspired others to join her. Today, children like Fabrizio from Peru, who is 16 years old, are continuing to push for action on climate change. They are concerned that the focus on economic recovery might cause us to overlook the need for net-zero commitments. As a result, they are encouraging everyone to act quickly and prioritize a green recovery.

 

Once again, Secretary-General, we congratulate you on the establishment of the Youth Advisory Group on climate change. We ask, however, that it be inclusive of children and adolescents younger than 18; respecting their right to be heard and to contribute their expertise directly. We also ask that as preparations for COP26 advance, you call for the UK and Italy to give children a safe space influence these upcoming preparatory events. We would of course to be happy to support a process that facilitates meaningful engagement with children across the globe on both your Group and COP26.

 

The writer of the letter is congratulating the Secretary-General for creating the Youth Advisory Group on climate change, which is a good initiative. However, they also ask that the group should not just include young adults but also children under 18, who should be given the right to participate and share their expertise directly. The writer is also requesting that the UK and Italy provide a safe space for children to be involved in the preparatory events leading up to COP26, a major climate conference. They are offering to support this process to make sure children from all over the world can meaningfully engage in both the Group and COP26.

 

If the last two years have taught us anything it is that children, armed with information and a sense of purpose, have a unique role to play by participating in decision-making processes and in combating crises with constructive solutions. Let us make sure that we learn and apply this lesson to the planning process related to climate action.

 

The paragraph is saying that over the past two years, it has become clear that children can be powerful agents of change when it comes to combating crises and participating in decision-making processes. The text suggests that children are armed with information and a sense of purpose that makes them uniquely equipped to contribute to finding solutions to problems, such as the climate crisis. Therefore, the writer is urging them to remember the important role that children can play in planning for climate action, and to make sure that their voices are heard and included in decision-making processes. In other words, the text is emphasizing the value of involving children in climate action and decision-making to help combat the climate crisis.

 

Sincerely Yours,

Save the Children

Child Rights Connect

 

Glossary:

Announcement: a public statement or message about something

Accelerating: increasing the speed or rate of something

Tackle: to deal with a problem or difficult situation

Corporate: relating to a company or group of companies

Disappointed: feeling let down or unhappy about something not being as expected

Diversity: including a range of different people or things

Outrage: an intense feeling of anger or shock

Catalyse: to spark or initiate a process or reaction

Crisis: a time of intense difficulty or danger

Sparked: started or initiated

At stake: something important or valuable that could be lost or won

Dash: to move quickly or suddenly

Scupper: to prevent or frustrate something

Net-zero: a target of achieving zero carbon emissions

Recovery: the process of returning to a normal or healthy state after a difficult period

Expertise: specialized knowledge or skills in a particular field

Preparatory: related to preparations or planning for something

Engagement: the act of involving or participating in something

Armed: equipped with knowledge or tools to handle a situation

Combating: fighting against or dealing with something

Constructive: helpful, positive, and productive

 

Exercises:

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct words given below.

tackel,        corporate            outrage                catalyze               at stake

net-zero               expertise

a. The corporate headquarters of the company is in Dubai.

b. According to Greta, the leaders are failing to  tackle the key issues.

c. Some viruses catalyze the step in the production of other viruses.

d. His expertise in business helped him greatly to run the company.

e. Nepal government plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to net-zero

f. He does not have good knowledge of business. So, he has put his investment at stake.

g. His controversial remarks caused public outrage

 

 

 

B. Write whether the following sentences are "True" or "False" . Write "Not Given" if the information is not found in the letter.

a. Save the Children congratulates Antonio Gueterres on his recent appointment as the General Secretary of the UN. Not Given

b. The Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change was announced on the request of the children between 18-21 years of age. False

c. The dissatisfaction is that the representation of children is not inclusive. True

d. Greta Thunberg protested for the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. True

e. The children demand their physical safety in the UK and Italy. True

f. The children think that they can participate in decision making to fight against the climate crisis.  True

 

C. Answer the following questions.

a. Where is the office of the UN Secretary General?

The office of the UN Secretary General is located on 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017.

 

b. What is the purpose of writing this letter to Antonio Guterres?

The purpose of writing this letter is to express Save the Children's and Child Rights Connect's concern about the exclusion of children from all their diversity to the Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

 

c. Why was the Youth Advisory Group announced?

The Youth Advisory Group was announced to advise the UN Secretary-General on accelerating global action and action to tackle the worsening climate crisis.

 

d. What roles have children played in the time of climate crisis?

Children have been leading the climate debate, using schools, social media, and protests to catalyze global activism. They have engaged with leaders and are worried about the economic recovery affecting net-zero commitments.

 

e. Describe Greta Thunberg and Fabrizio's contributions.

Greta Thunberg's solo protest sparked a global movement. She proved that no one is too small to make a difference. Fabrizio from Peru is worried that our dash to economic recovery will scupper climate change at net-zero commitments.

 

f. What is the final demand of the children?

The children's final demand is for the Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change to include younger children, respect their right to be heard, and for the UK and Italy to provide a safe space for children to engage meaningfully with the Group and COP26.

 

D. As a student, what roles can you play to control climate change and its effect? Share you ideas in the class.

As a student I can play the following roles to control climate change and its effect.

1. I adopt the concept of Reduce, reuse and recycle by using less paper, plastic, and other materials, recycle and reuse them as much as possible.

2. I use public transport instead of personal vehicle to reduce carbon emission to net zero.

3. I turn off lights and electronics when they are not in use to conserve energy.

4. I buy locally sourced foods and products reducing meat consumption.

5. I participate in tree planting activities to reduce carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere.

6. I raise awareness about climate change and its effects by participating in climate strikes, social media campaigns and spreading information about the issues to friends and family.

 

Thank You !