Anjali Sharma: Climate Activist
Anjali Sharma is a prominent Australian climate activist born in 2004. She gained international attention as the lead litigant in a landmark class action case in the Australian Federal Court. This case sought an injunction against the Australian Government and the Minister for the Environment, challenging their failure to consider the impacts of climate change when approving a coal mining permit.
The Landmark Class Action
The class action was a significant legal move aimed at holding the government accountable for its environmental policies. Anjali Sharma, alongside other teenagers including Isolde Shanti Raj-Seppings, Ambrose Malachy Hayes, Tomas Webster Arbizu, Bella Paige Burgemeister, Laura Fleck Kirwan, Ava Princi, and Luca Gwyther Saunders, were represented by Sister Marie Brigid Arthur of the Brigadine Order of Victoria, due to being under 18.
The case has the potential to set a legal precedent in Australia, necessitating the consideration of climate change impacts in future coal and fossil fuel mining approvals. This could have far-reaching implications for how environmental laws are enforced and interpreted in the country.
Public Advocacy and Media
In April 2022, ahead of the general election, Anjali Sharma penned an article in The Guardian highlighting the nation's climate concerns and criticizing the political system's entrenched connections with big coal and gas industries. She pointed out the contradiction between the prevalence of 114 new fossil fuel projects in the pipeline and the promises made by major political parties.
Anjali's activism and story were further amplified when her journey was featured in an episode of Australian Story, a program by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 2024. This coverage helped bring further public attention to the issue and her efforts.