YOUTH

Young people are helping solve our climate crisis. And the world is responding, however slowly!

Young people are doing everything in their power to help combat the climate emergency. They’re protesting in the streets, organizing beach clean ups, reducing their personal carbon footprints, signing petitions, planting trees, getting their schools to become zero waste, and even suing the federal government to protect their planet. Young people are front and center in the climate fight. 

To win this planetary battle, all of you need to get involved like these young heroes. You can start by educating yourselves, your friends and even your parents. If you have younger brothers and sisters, we have created just for kids for them. Check out our list of recommended organizations, books, and films to see how you can take action, whether it be In your home, your school, your community or through political action.  If you are writing a paper or giving a talk about some aspect of climate change, you might find some of the statistics in our “climate change by numbers” section useful.

In 2015, twenty one young people from all over America filed a lawsuit, the Juliana v. U.S. case, claiming that the government’s actions, and inaction, in the face of global warming violate their “fundamental constitutional rights to freedom from deprivation of life, liberty, and property.” We think you will find it fascinating to follow our timeline as it has wended its way through the courts.

In 2019, the Climate Strike, inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg when she was 16 years old, had over 1000 events in the US alone, and an estimated 4 million people showed up around the world. In January 2021, as President Biden prepared for his inauguration, Greta was discussing the future for climate change with the Dalai Lama.

In April, 2022, NPR published an essay in comic art form by Xiye Bastida, a young climate justice activist in New York City. The subject was “How young people are taking action against climate change.”