In a coastal village nestled between lush

mountains and the azure sea, there lived a

woman named Maya. Her life was a testament

to harmony with nature. For as long as she

could remember, she had tended to her

family’s organic farm, a sanctuary for rich

biodiversity. Maya had never deliberately

driven a car, never f lown on an aeroplane, and

had lived a life f irmly rooted in sustainability.

Her connection to the Earth ran deep, and she

had never contributed to the looming crisis of

climate change.

As years passed, Maya watched with growing

despair as the world’s climate deteriorated.

Her idyllic village was not immune to the

consequences of global warming. Seasons

became erratic, and extreme weather events

wreaked havoc on her crops. Rising sea levels

threatened her coastal home.

One day, a hurricane named Typhoon

Seraphina made landfall in her village. The

storm’s fury was unlike anything Maya had

witnessed. It obliterated her farm, her home,

and her memories with relentless winds and

f looding waters. Maya barely escaped, clinging

to debris.

Homeless and heartbroken, Maya joined

climate refugees who had lost everything. They

roamed the land, facing droughts, heatwaves,

and food shortages. Maya met others who, like

her, were victims of climate change despite

not causing it.

Maya’s journey led her to a refugee camp near

the COP28 summit in Dubai The camp was

f illed with people who like her had lost their

homes due to climate change Determined

to make their voices heard Maya and her

fellow refugees formed Survivors for Climate

Justice.» They used their stories and IPCC

data to raise awareness about the need for

action and held vigils for climate victims.

Their efforts caught the attention of

environmental activists and leaders at COP28.

Maya’s story resonated deeply. They invited

her to speak at the summit, hoping her

testimony would inspire world leaders to take

more ambitious steps in mitigating climate

change.

At COP28, Maya shared her story on the grand

stage. Her voice trembled with emotion as

she spoke not as a scientist or a policy expert,

but as a simple farmer who had experienced

climate change’s reality. Her words carried the

weight of truth and moved the hearts of those

in attendance.

Maya’s speech was a turning point. It ignited

a renewed sense of urgency among world

leaders. They pledged to redouble their efforts

to combat climate change, setting more

ambitious targets and pushing for immediate

action.

As Maya returned to her refugee camp, she

knew her journey was far from over. But

she also knew her voice and the voices of

countless others had made a difference. The

f ight against climate change had become more

resolute, and the world was f inally taking the

steps needed to heal the Earth and prevent

more stories like hers in the future. Maya’s

story had brought the human face of climate

change to the forefront, reminding everyone

that the consequences of inaction were

devastating and irreversible

Michelle Engelmann

Michelle Engelmann is a DiplJur from Germany and a

student of the International Business Law Climate Change

and Corporations Masters Program at the VU Amsterdam

She is going to be a Climate Change Lawyer that advocates for

sustainable practices in corporations

wwwlinkedincominmichelleengelmanna10593290