We’ll lead even if you don’t: Indian schoolgirl Glasgow conference by storm

She invited world leaders, international organisations, civil society, and business leaders to stand with her generation and back the innovations

“I am not just a girl from India. I am a girl from the Earth, and I am proud to be so,” thundered 15-year-old Vinisha Umashankar, one of the finalists of the Earth Shot Prize, at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference or COP26.

Vinisha Umashankar’s innovation – a solar-powered ironing cart that could replace charcoal used for centuries as fuel by ironing vendors – is backed by Prince William, who took to Twitter on Wednesday to post a picture of the teenager at the global conference.

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The 15-year-old student’s speech in which she spoke for “my generation” expressed the “anger and frustration” of the younger lot at the world leaders who have “made empty promises and failed to deliver” vis-à-vis climate change.

Vinisha Umashankar, who studies in an international school in Tiruvannamalai, around 200 km from Chennai, delivered a passionate speech as world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, listened with rapt attention.

“I am not here to talk about the future. I am the future. In 2030, by when we must halve our carbon emissions, I will be just 24 years old. By 2050 when we will assess whether net-zero has been achieved or not, I will be in my early forties. And in 2100, hopefully still going strong, I will be 94,” she said to a rousing reception from the audience.

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The point, Vinisha Umashankar said, she was trying to make was that her generation will live to see the consequences of the actions that will be taken by world leaders at the conference. The young student’s solar-powered ironing cart has made it to the finals of the Earth Shot Prize – Vinisha Umashankar says the iron box can work with solar energy and the battery in the vehicle can save power for six hours.

“Many of my generations are angry and frustrated that our leaders who have made empty promises have failed to deliver. We have every reason to be angry, but I have no time for anger. I want to act,” she said, making a fervent appeal to leaders at COP26 to “stop talking and start doing.”

The teenager’s speech went viral on social media with several Twitter users uploading the video clip and emphasizing the importance of the need to tackle climate change.

“Brilliant innovation and brilliant speech. I’m not just a girl from India, I’m a girl from Earth.” Here is Vinisha Umashankar, just 15 years old from Tamil Nadu, India, one of the finalists of @EarthshotPrize addressing world leaders at @COP26,” Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary (Environment & Forests), Tamil Nadu, wrote on her verified Twitter page.

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