Sir — Such is the power of climate change that even the monkey-cap-loving Bengali seems to have admitted defeat. By mid-December, Bengalis are usually found wrapped in sweaters, shawls and sundry other winter garments. But these seem to be few and far between this year. As such, people have taken to switching on the fan in order to enjoy a nip in the air while snuggling into a quilt.

Anuradha Chatterjee,
Calcutta

Early start

Sir — Licypriya Kangujam, an eight-year-old from Manipur, should be congratulated for her resolve to fight the battle against climate change. She happens to be the youngest climate activist in the world. She recently attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid. Kangujam enthralled audiences during an event where she reminded world leaders about the adverse effects of climate change. She asked them to take immediate action as climate change is an emergency. Kangujam has quickly shot into the limelight with Spanish newspapers hailing her as “Greta of the Global South”.

Kangujam has been in the news even before this for spending weeks in front of the Indian Parliament with a placard urging the prime minister to pass a law to control climate change and regulate carbon emission. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist, had a big influence on Kangujam. It was thus heartening to see that she met Thunberg on the sidelines of the convention. In spite of their best efforts, these young leaders feel frustrated because of the inaction of world leaders. Their pleas must be heard at once.

Khokan Das,
Calcutta

Sir — It is encouraging to note that an eight-year-old Indian girl, Licypriya Kangujam, has managed to captivate senior leaders and activists who participated in the international climate conference in Madrid. Kangujam is being called the youngest climate activist. Both Kangujam and Greta Thunberg have demanded action from the leadership in their own countries; both sat outside Parliament houses in their respective countries asking for action against global warming.

Young people like Thunberg must be lauded for remaining undaunted by the mockery of powerful men like the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro. Kangujam made her presence felt at the conference in Madrid even though the Indian government has made nothing but empty boasts as far as climate change is concerned. She has made India proud.

Jahar Saha,
Calcutta