Howey Ou Explained

Ou Hongyi (; IPA: ə̄u xʷúŋìː), also known by her English name Howey Ou, is a Chinese environmental activist who organises the school strike for climate in Guilin in southern China, calling for more action to limit greenhouse gas emissions by China and thus climate change.[1]

Biography

Ou's activism started after convincing her parents, both university lecturers, to adopt several lifestyle choices to reduce their own carbon footprint.[2] In late May 2019, at age 16, she did a school strike for climate by holding up homemade banners for several days in front of City Hall in Guilin to call for immediate stronger action on climate change.[3] [4] Greta Thunberg said she is a "true hero", then the authorities said she must stop due to not having a permit.[5] [6] [7] Her WeChat account was blocked.[8] In September 2019, she organised a "Plant for survival" campaign. With her pocket money, she bought trees and planted them around Guilin.[9] She was not allowed to return to school as long as she engages in climate activism.[10] [11] [12]

In 2019, youth activist group Earth Uprising nominated her to attend the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in New York.[13] [14]

In 2020, China committed to net zero emissions by 2060, but continued to build coal-fired power stations.[15]

Ou keeps in touch with environmental activist Zhao Jiaxin.[11] After she and three other activists were detained after a silent protest in front of the Shanghai Exhibition Centre in September 2020[16] she was called "incredibly brave" by Greta Thunberg.[17] Ou and her parents have become vegetarians.[2]

In Lausanne, Switzerland, Ou started a hunger strike on Palud Square on 19 April 2021, to protest her 60-day prison and 1,200-Swiss francs fine sentence for protesting against expansion of the exploitation of the limestone quarry on Mormont hill by the Swiss-French cement company LafargeHolcim.[18] [19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Elena Morresi . Howey Ou: China's first school climate striker – video profile . . 2020-07-20 . 2020-11-10.
  2. News: Myers . Steven Lee . 2020-12-04 . Ignored and Ridiculed, She Wages a Lonesome Climate Crusade . en-US . The New York Times . 2020-12-05 . 0362-4331.
  3. Web site: 2020-08-20 . Howey Ou is risking it all to put climate change on China's agenda . 2020-11-10 . RFI . en.
  4. Web site: Fighting Alone for Climate Action in China: Meet Teen Activist Howey Ou . 2020-11-10 . www.vice.com . en.
  5. Web site: Chinas Greta bricht ihren Klimastreik vorerst ab. 2020-07-06. www.t-online.de. 13 June 2019 . de.
  6. Web site: 2020-09-30 . Greta Thunberg speaks out after arrest of Chinese climate activist Ou Hongyi . 2023-07-06 . Young Post.
  7. Web site: Howey Ou is a true hero. We are all behind you. Guilin, China. . 2020-11-10 . Twitter . en.
  8. Web site: Howey Ou – ganz allein im Klimastreik. 2020-07-06. www.ecoterra.info.
  9. Web site: sina_mobile. 2019-11-04. 16岁中国环保少女被网友骂惨：求你别瞎学瑞典那妹子"罢课"...... 2020-07-06. k.sina.cn.
  10. News: Standaert . Michael . 2020-07-19 . China's first climate striker warned: give it up or you can't go back to school . . 2020-12-29 . 0261-3077.
  11. Web site: 2020-08-25. 18 Things to know about Howey Ou, China's only teenage climate striker. 2020-11-10. National Catholic Reporter. en.
  12. News: Hawkins . Amy . correspondent . Amy Hawkins Senior China . 2023-06-29 . As Beijing swelters, activists hope the heat will prompt climate action . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-07-06 . 0261-3077.
  13. News: Standaert. Michael. 2019-09-18. China's young climate heroes fight apathy – and the party line. The Guardian. 2020-07-06. 0261-3077.
  14. Web site: 2019-11-10. Young voices in China's environmental wilderness struggle to be heard. 2020-07-06. South China Morning Post.
  15. News: China aims to cut its net carbon-dioxide emissions to zero by 2060 . The Economist . 2020-09-29 . 0013-0613.
  16. Web site: 2020-09-29. Greta Thunberg criticises China after climate striker held over protest. 2020-11-10. South China Morning Post. en.
  17. Web site: 2020-11-09. 'Hypocrites and greenwash': Greta Thunberg blasts leaders over climate crisis. 2020-11-10. The Guardian.
  18. Web site: 2021-04-19. Vaud – Une zadiste chinoise entame une grève de la faim à Lausanne. 2021-04-28. 20 minutes. fr.
  19. News: Matthew Taylor, Emily Holden, Dan Collyns, Michael Standaert and Ashifa Kassam . The young people taking their countries to court over climate inaction . . 2021-05-07 . 2021-05-07.

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