Not many nine-year-olds would consider taking their government to court. But Ridhima Pandey is so fed up with inaction on climate change, she is attempting to do just that.
Pandey comes from Uttarakhand in northern India where extreme weather, including flash floods and landslides, have killed thousands of people in recent years.
The attorney Rahul Choudhary has filed Pandey’s 52-page petition with the National Green Tribunal, a special court for environmental cases. In it, she argues government needs to take more seriously its international climate change commitments and environmental laws.
Her requests include a ‘carbon budget’ to limit emissions, better protection for forests and improved agricultural practices.
Pandey’s passion for the planet is inspired by her father Dinesh Pandey, who works for an environmental NGO.
