People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Youth-Led Action
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: We need real solutions
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Climate chaos is happening now
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Indigenous Peoples Day
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
Youth Speaks: Our Message to World Leaders on Earth Day 2021
Earth Uprising’s summit “Youth Speaks: Our Message to World Leaders on Earth Day 2021” will be divided into an opening and closing session, and six short sessions that are based around specific issues. These sessions will inform updates to the opening demands, which will then be presented to President Biden’s World Leaders Summit.
Session 1: Opening- Moderator: Lucia Urreta
- Speakers: Greta Thunberg, Licypriya Kangujam, Vanessa Nakate, and Xiye Bastida.
The speakers will open the summit with short speeches.
Session 2: Freedom to Peaceful Protest and Protect Democracy- Moderator: Maria Juliana Duque
- Speakers: Arshak Makichan, Mitzi Jonelle, Khadija Khokhar, and Sonya Epifantseva
The past year has seen many infringements on global youths’ right to organize, peacefully assemble, and protest. This session of “Youth Speaks” asks what kind of action we want from our world leaders to protect our right to protest, our democracies, and address the disproportionate effect on people of color.
Session 3: Climate Education and Climate Literacy- Moderator: Mohammad Ahmadi
- Speakers: Anisa Nanavati, Farah Mahmoud, Sari Hellara, Nour Al-Kaaby, and Sumayyah Ajani Adetomiwa.
For youth, it is important for us to be taught that climate change is real, and that it is possible to mitigate and adapt. Climate education is needed for a fast, green transition because it will prepare us for green jobs and lifestyles. This education needs to be accessible to everyone, regardless of who they are and where they come from.
Session 4: Climate Migration, Borders and Human Rights- Moderator: Mohaddeseh Barghamadi
- Speakers: Jesus Villalba, Ayisha Siddiqa, Mohab Sherif, and Nadiya Khalif.
Because of climate change, youth are on the frontlines of the growing crisis at the US border, while small island nations in the South Pacific are going underwater threatening their lives and futures. This session discusses why climate migration is a youth issue and asks what kind of action we want from our world leaders.
Session 5: Zero Emissions Timeline and Transition to Renewable Energy- Moderator: Brooke Nelson Muzzatti
- Speakers: Jana Jandal Alrifai, Muska Sadat, and Ayesha Imtiaz.
A rapid decrease in fossil fuel extraction and emission, along with a high speed transition to renewable energy is the key to a habitable planet and livable future for youth. At the core of this transition is climate justice, ensuring that those most impacted by the climate crisis are supported and protected. This session concentrates on obstacles to a just transition and how we can push through them.
Session 6: Preparing the Youth Movement for COP 26 and 2022- Moderator: Kevin Mtai
- Speakers: Kaluki Paul Mutuku, Wendy Gao, Maria Fernanda Duràn, Alisa Salıcı, and Maria Serra Olivella
The youth movement needs to work together to fight for ambitious and productive climate action that acts with the urgency required of this crisis, without empty promises. This session will emphasize how COP26 must be an inclusive space for young people, especially Indigenous and disabled youth climate activists and those from the most affected areas. Past COPs have been funded by the fossil fuels industry, and it is high time that these polluters no longer have influence and presence within these discussions.
Session 7: The Youth Perspective on Adaptation- Moderator: Ananya Guruprasad
- Speakers: Razan Ahmed, Hania Imran, Afrah Qaisar, Daphne Frias, and Aman Sharma
This session will focus on areas of adaptation within policy including disaster management and recovery, and youth climate anxiety and eco grief.
Session 8: Closing- Moderator: Christine Leung
- Speakers: Jerome Foster, Jamie Margolin, Leah Namugerwa, and Catarina Lorenzo.
The moderator and speakers will review the updated youth demands.
Climate Envoy John Kerry Remarks at U.N. Climate Adaptation Summit
Remarks by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry at the opening of the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021.
Transcript:
It’s a privilege to be able to be with you. And let me start by thanking Prime Minister Rutte and the government of the Netherlands for hosting this important and timely meeting.I’m really delighted to be here. I also want to thank, if I may, Secretary General Guterres for his tireless leadership on climate change. And of course my friend Ban Ki-Moon, who was central as we negotiated the Paris agreement and brought it into force. And he’s been a partner not just on climate but on many other things and challenges.
Three years ago, scientists gave us a pretty stark warning. They said we have 12 years within which to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Now we have nine years left. And I regret that my country has been absent for three of those years.
In the United States, we spent 265 billion dollars in one year for three storms, just cleaning up after those storms. Last year, one storm, 55 billion dollars.
We’ve reached the point where it is an absolute fact that it’s cheaper to invest in preventing damage, or minimizing it at least, than cleaning up. Now, without question, I think, everybody understands this, the best adaptation is to treat the crisis as the emergency that it is and do more to hold the earth’s temperature increase to the Paris-stated 1.5 degrees. I think scientists are more and more landing on the 1.5 as a critical figure.
A 3.7 to 4.5 increase centigrade, which is exactly the path that we are on now, invites for the most vulnerable and poorest people on earth fundamentally unlivable conditions. So our urgent reduction of emissions is compelled by public conscience and by common sense. President Biden has made fighting climate change a top priority of his administration. We have a president now, thank God, who leads, tells the truth, and is seized by this issue.
And President Biden knows that we have to mobilize in unprecedented ways to meet a challenge that is fast accelerating. And he knows we have limited time to get it under control. For that reason, the United States immediately rejoined the Paris agreement. And we intend to do everything we possibly can to ensure that COP26 results in ambitious climate action, in which all major-emitter countries raise ambitions significantly, and in which we help protect those who are the most vulnerable.
We have already launched our work to prepare a new U.S. nationally determined contribution that meets the urgency of the challenge. And we aim to announce our NDC as soon as practicable.
The administration also intends to make significant investments in climate action, both domestically and as part of our efforts to build back better from COVID. And internationally, we intend to make good on our climate finance pledge.
In the long term driving towards net zero emissions no later than 2050, and keeping a 1.5 degree limit within reach remain the best policies for climate resilience and adaptation. There is simply no adapting to a three or four degree world except for the very richest and most privileged. At the same time, we have to also build resilience to protect communities from the impacts of climate change that already built in to the emissions that are in the atmosphere.
Now some of these impacts are inevitable, because of the warming that’s already taken place. But if we don’t act boldly and immediately by building resilience to climate change, we are likely going to see dramatic reversals in economic development for everybody. Poor and climate-vulnerable communities everywhere will obviously pay the highest price.
So the United States will work on three fronts to promote ambition and resilience and adaptation: leverage U.S. innovation and climate data and information to promote a better understanding and management of climate risk, especially in developed countries; we will significantly increase the flow of finance, including concessional finance, to adaptation and resilience initiatives; we will work with bilateral and multilateral institutions to improve quality of resilience programming; and we will work with the private sector, in the United States and elsewhere in developing countries, to promote greater collaboration between businesses and the communities on which they depend.
And it is our firm conviction throughout all of our administration every agency is now part of our climate team. And only together are we going to be able to build the resilience to climate change that is critical to save lives and meet our moral obligation for future generations, and to those currently living in very difficult circumstances. So we’re proud to be back. We come back, I want you to know, with humility, for the absence of the last four years, and we’ll do everything in our power to make up for it.