'The world is so unsafe': Environmental activists pledge not to have kids

A group of young Canadians is pledging not to have children until the government takes action against climate change.

Alienor Rougeot, a University of Toronto student and Climate Strike Canada organizer, is now among those participating in a birth strike.

"This pledge is an emotional pledge for me," the 20 year old explained.

"I would only think about having children in five to 10 years, and by then … the crisis will be fully unraveling I would say."

Rougeot said she "can't imagine putting an innocent child into" a world of extreme weather conditions, food shortages caused by unhealthy soil and mass migration caused by resource wars.

She's also concerned about the spread of illnesses, such as Lyme disease in Canada.

"The world is so unsafe… but it's going into a more unsafe space, and we have scientific models to show that," she said.

Listen to the interview with Alienor Rougeot:

"I think this pledge is more a testimony of what we're feeling, and the thoughts we're having, every day, as young people."

About 200 people have signed the pledge since an internal launch, said Rougeot. It was rolled out to the public on Monday. 

Rougeot said her family has been supportive of the her choice. Before reconsidering her decision to have children, she wants the government to stop subsidizing fossil fuels and building pipelines.

"We need to take into account there are real jobs and real people behind those high carbon economies, and we need the government to guarantee transitioning for these people to give them the training they need and the accommodation they need."

Rougeot also wants the environment to be at the forefront of the upcoming federal election.

"It's always talked about ... as one of the 'other' issues," she said.

"I really hope we can put it at the centre, showing that all the rest depends on it and affects it."