Tunisia: Activists call for the declaration of a climate state of emergency

Dozens of activists from the Tunisian Youth Climate Movement yesterday organised a sit-in in front of the capital’s Municipal Theatre to demand “a climate state of emergency” be declared in the country.

“We are young men and women gathered in front of the municipal theatre to demand our right to a healthy environment and our right to water and life,” said Ahmed Al-Hajj Al-Tayeb, the movement’s secretary-general.

Al-Hajj Al-Tayeb said: “Climate change has impacted Tunisia and is considered the biggest disaster threatening the country. So, we gathered here today to demand the President [Kais Saied] and the Prime Minister [Najla Bouden] declare a climate state of emergency, which means the recognition that climate change threatens the lives of citizens and Tunisia at all levels.”

He said the government must “adopt a new environmentally friendly economic  approach such as renewable energy, organic farming and sustainable water.”

“Today we demand climate justice and environmental education to educate and teach children.”

The Tunisian Youth Climate Movement was founded in 2019 in Tunisia by young activists in an effort to support environmental sustainability. It aims to “preserve a healthy and sustainable future for today’s and future generations”, according to its missing statement.

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