By Jenn Watts, National Youth Mobilization Director, Alliance for Climate Protection
As world leaders, scientists and young people from all across the globe wrap up their work in Copenhagen during the past two weeks of important negotiations, we are once again reminded of the vested interest that our generation has in confronting the climate crisis.
On December 10, 2009, hundreds of youth from all around the world celebrated “Young and Future Generations Day” in Copenhagen at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. More than 1,000 young people from over 100 countries attended the Conference with one goal in mind – protect our future and the lives of future generations threatened by climate change.
- White House Youth Clean Energy Forum.
Photos taken by Alec and Victoria Loorz.
Back in America, the first-ever White House Youth Clean Energy Forum was held on December 2nd with key administration officials and young leaders from across the country. It was a day that drove home the point that while climate change is happening today, the effects of the crisis will be felt most keenly by those who don’t often enough have a seat at the table. No matter to them, though. Be it the White House or Copenhagen, the Millennial Generation will show up demanding answers anyway.
What has become clear from these two meetings and will certainly remain in the coming months as the U.S. Senate begins debate of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation is that our youth will continue to make their voices heard for however long it takes to bring about an international agreement. They will fight for however long it takes to demand the passage of clean energy policies. And, they will fight for however long it takes to make sure the U.S. and the rest of the world implement clean technologies that will create thousands of new jobs across the country.
Young people from all over the United States have already begun to voice their support for action on clean energy and climate on The Repower Wall. Check out these videos from Dan in Cincinnati, OH and Laura in Orlando, Fl.
Even our Chairman Al Gore is speaking out for future generations. In his speech earlier this week in Copenhagen, he remarked to a crowd of hundreds:
“If at some future date, the next generation faces the prospect of living in a world with steadily deteriorating prospects and no chance to reclaim the glories of this beautiful earth that we have enjoyed — if they look back at Copenhagen and ask, “Why didn’t you act? Why did you let this process fall into paralysis, and neither succeed or fail but become a symbol of futility? What were the arguments again? You didn’t realize that we were at stake?“
With the most at stake, we can confront the climate and energy crisis and as young people we must continue to make our voices heard. Help keep the momentum going long after Copenhagen by adding your voice to The Repower Wall today!
“We are at stake.” A rallying for all young people to get engaged in this. And – a clear statement to those in Copenhagen of the consequences of their debate. Great post!
It is a responsibility and an obligation to act now!
A powerful reminder of what is at stake and what it will take to overcome it. It is important to both remember the magnitude of the challenges we face and to remember the power we have to fix it.
The effect of our actions now will play out for hundreds of years into the future. We have to enact strong legislation to protect our environment as well as our country’s energy sources NOW.
“We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” — Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” Speech
Keep spreading the word and getting our generation involved! We CAN and WILL make a difference!
For 20 years the world has been subjected to a scheme of mind control by the “power elite.” A design to make money for special segments of the world. Americans are not very sophisticated in world politics and very trusting of people in authority (our leaders, teachers on all levels of education). So the American public believed the info about the warming climate/save the world theme to make them docilly accept the indoctrination in schools (colleges especially who received gov’t funding). If you hear a untruth repeated over and over, the uninformed begin to believe it. Al Gore with his miss-guided passion has done great harm to the science of the natural cycle of climate changes and has been a messenger for the purpose of the “global power elite.” The last vestage of asset wealth is the West (U.S. and Canada). The method of wealth transferance from the West to the member nations of the United Nations is to use the myth of CO2 to extract penalty from those countries (the ones that go along with the plan, that is!)huge amounts of money and form a One World Government (taking orders from the “global power elite”)for the distribution of the money and assets to countries who produce much less C02..the purpose of Copenhagen Climate Conference. Socialism fails when the countries run out of money…..Europe needs money….this is how the plan will provide money from the last free large countries of the world! Do your own research; get your own documentation; do not blindly accept what you are told! Find your own truth. Check out THESE comments! Do not Rush! Do not cave in to Emotional scare tactics!
after”yes we can” we have to go to “yes we will”! but this will not happen in the USA. we talk every thing to death! only extreme conditions will change our mind. for instant, when going to the moon and so on! elsie, what is the background of you, when you talk about Europe and socialism? did you ever live under democratic socialism? did you ever go to college to study physics or chemistry? do you know the difference between knowing and believing? what do you know?