Did we reap the rewards and leave our children to foot the bill?

At the iFuture Summit, young Malaysians and international graduates questioned prominent panellists about jobs, salaries, and artificial intelligence. One young woman posed a question that resonated with me: why should her generation bear the burden of environmental damage caused by previous generations? While governments celebrate substantial investments, the environmental cost must be considered.

Future leaders must address environmental justice, especially when approving developments like data centers that raise concerns about water consumption, energy use, and pollution. Young people should demand better environmental commitments from politicians, but they cannot bear the sole responsibility for dealing with climate change and environmental degradation.

Decisions made for economic growth often come at an environmental cost, and these consequences cannot be left for future generations to clean up. Governments' announcements of major investments often highlight economic benefits, while environmental trade-offs receive less attention. The mismatch between university courses and employers' skill requirements is another concern, as is the rapid pace of change brought by AI.

Young people seek clean air, safe water, and secure jobs, not a perfect world. It's time to rethink our focus from economic growth alone to addressing environmental sustainability and employment together. The future of our children depends on the choices we make today.