People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Youth-Led Action

Posted by Brad Johnson Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:00:00 GMT

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.

Join us.

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

Posted by Brad Johnson Tue, 20 Apr 2021 18:30:00 GMT

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.

Power Shift 2011: Monday

Posted by Brad Johnson Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

10:00am – 11:30am Action: Make Big Polluters Pay

April 18th is Tax Day and we’re hitting the streets to send a clear message: “It’s time to end handouts to Big Oil. Make Polluters Pay and fund OUR future: a 100% clean energy future that looks out for everyone.”

12:00pm – 4:00pm Lobby Visits

We’ll march from our demonstration to Capitol Hill to bring our demands to Congress. With thousands of us converging on Capitol Hill, it will be one of the largest citizen visits ever!

Power Shift 2011: Saturday

Posted by Brad Johnson Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

9:00am – 1:00pm Movement Building Sessions: Training & Planning

People will come together regionally to meet one another, share stories and ideas, and plan collective efforts. We’ll practice and learn the fundamentals of grassroots organizing that will give us a strong foundation for campaign work.

1:00pm – 2:00pm Lunch

2:00pm – 6:00pm Clean Economy Canvass

Attendees will have the opportunity to help build the clean energy economy in Washington, DC. Participants will be trained in the best ways to engage friends and neighbors in energy efficiency work.

2:15pm – 3:15pm Workshop & Panels: Session 1

3:30pm – 4:30pm Workshop & Panels: Session 2

4:45pm – 5:45pm Workshop & Panels: Session 3

6:00pm – 7:30pm Dinner & Caucuses

During dinner, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with other folks to talk about how their identity has impacted their experiences throughout the weekend.

7:30pm – 11:00pm Keynote & Concert

We’ll reconvene in a keynote session to hear from more movement leaders. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and 350.org founder Bill McKibben are confirmed as keynote speakers, and more will be announced soon!

Power Shift 2011: Friday

Posted by Brad Johnson Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

2:00pm – 5:30pm Generation Waking Up

An optional activity, Generation Waking Up will help us launch Power Shift fired up and inspired to take action. Through music, exercises, dialogue, and video, we’ll explore the critical questions facing young people and society

6:30pm – 9:00pm Opening Keynote

Our opening keynote will set the stage for the Power Shift 2011—we’ll give an overview for the weekend and start to hear from movement leaders and climate and energy experts. Al Gore and Van Jones are confirmed as keynote speakers for the evening.

9:00pm – 12:00am Films Fueling the Energy Revolution

We’ll be showing a handful of films discussing and investigating environmental issues. These films will kick off the Reel Power film series scheduled to air throughout Power Shift 2011.

National Youth Climate Call

Posted by Brad Johnson Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Host: Sen. John Kerry

Speakers:
  • Rev. Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus
  • Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Green For All

Dial-In Number: 1-866-931-7845
Conference Code: 727028

Power Shift '09 Teleconference

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, February 4 the youth-led Energy Action Coalition is hosting a national teleconference for student reporters about the crucial role of young people in the fight for bold federal energy and climate legislation.

From February 27 to March 2, 2009, 10,000 young leaders from across the country will convene for Power Shift ‘09 in Washington, D.C. to demand that the President and Congress pass bold climate and energy policy that prioritizes renewable energy, green job creation, and an aggressive reduction of carbon emissions.

Call-in number: (866) 501-6174, participant code, 231000#

Participants
  • Jessy Tolkan, Executive Director, Energy Action Coalition
  • Dominique Hazzard, Power Shift ‘09 organizer and freshman at Wellesley College, Executive Committee Sierra Student Coalition
  • Jason Walsh, Policy Director, Green for All
  • Dave Hamilton, Director, Global Warming and Energy Program, Sierra Club

The speakers on the call will be able to answer questions about Power Shift ‘09 and the role of young people in shaping federal energy and climate policy.

From February 27 to March 2, 10,000 young leaders from around the world will kick off a historic year for climate action by convening in Washington, D.C. for Power Shift ‘09. Young people will demand that the President and Congress rebuild the economy and reclaim the future by passing bold climate and energy policy. Participants will share ideas and success stories, learn new skills, build connections, hear from leading experts and change-makers and come together to deliver a unified message to the nation’s leaders. On March 2, Power Shift ‘09 will culminate with a massive lobby and rally day on Capitol Hill.

Fossil Fools Day

Posted by Brad Johnson Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

On April 1, 2008 young people from around the world are rising up to show the world that we refuse to fool around with climate change and our future. The Energy Action Coalition is calling on communities across Canada and the US to join this global day of action and show the fossil fuel industry and bad politicians that we mean business. Ideas include, but are by no means limited to: rallies at gas stations or representative offices, Critical Mass bike rides, office occupations, Billionaire’s for Tar Sands/Coal demonstrations, spank the bank visits, high-powered projections of solutions on the side of dirty energy factories, Board of Trustees meeting take-overs, hold a clean energy camp at a dirty energy site, do solar installations, make spoof videos and websites, offer alternative, clean energy bus rides, do some coal mining of your own at a coal company’s headquarters . . .

Groups participating in Fossil Fools Day include the Energy Action Coalition, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, Rising Tide North America, the Australian Student Environment Network, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, & Rising Tide UK, & Rising Tide Australia.

Find events here.

Focus the Nation Teach-In

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Focus the Nation is a national teach-in on January 31, 2008, engaging millions of students and citizens with political leaders and decision makers about Global Warming Solutions.

We stand at a unique moment in human history. Decisions that are ours to make today – to stabilize global warming pollution and invest in clean energy solutions – will have a profound impact not only on our lives and the lives of our children, but indeed for every human being who will ever walk the face of the planet from now until the end of time. At this moment in time, we owe our young people one day of focused discussion about global warming solutions for America

More than just that one day, Focus the Nation: Global Warming Solutions for America is an unprecedented educational initiative, involving over a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, faith groups, civic organizations and businesses. Focus the Nation is a catalyzing force helping shift the national conversation about global warming towards a determination to face this civilizational challenge.

A teach-in is a day when an entire school turns its attention to a single issue—when faculty, students and staff put aside business as usual, and focus the full weight of campus engagement on one topic.

The key to a successful teach-in is widespread faculty involvement. Focus the Nation challenges participating schools to engage at least fifty faculty members in their role as educators (as well as students, staff, alumni, and community members). With fifty plus faculty engaged from disciplines across the curriculum—art, science, politics, psychology, engineering, philosophy—the event will involve thousands of students on each campus, and millions of students nationwide.

Faculty will say yes to involvement for two reasons. First, the Focus the Nation model requires them to talk for only 10 minutes in a subject area close to their discipline, and then help lead a half an hour discussion. Faculty do not have to be climate change experts to participate, nor invest heavily in preparation. Second, faculty across the curriculum are eager to be asked. As educators and as parents, they understand the magnitude of the global warming challenge, and are looking for an opportunity to engage with students on this critical issue. And once 50+ faculty are involved, then Presidents and Deans will be supportive. Most critically, thousands of students will attend, because faculty will require them to go, or give them extra credit, because other faculty will “focus” their classes, and travel with them to attend the sessions, but primarily because global warming solutions will be the exciting focus of discussion that day. Using this model, we view 2 million students nationwide as a realistic participation goal.

For high schools unable to build a teach-in, and for faith organizations and civic groups, there is a second way to Focus the Nation: host a screening of our free, live interactive webcast, THE 2% SOLUTION, the night of Wednesday, January 30th. (Showing The 2% Solution is also the way to kick-off your teach-in)

Climate Change: Science and Solutions

Posted by Brad Johnson Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The National Council for Science and the Environment invites you to participate in the 8th National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment to develop and advance science-based solutions to climate change.

Join us in the dialogue with leading scientists, policy makers, industry leaders, educators, and other solutions-oriented innovators to develop comprehensive strategies for protecting people and the planet against the threat of climate change.

The three-day conference will be held January 16-18, 2008, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. An interactive agenda features skill-building workshops, targeted breakout sessions, plenary sessions, and symposia to provide participants with an expansive understanding of climate change solutions—and how we can achieve them.

Agenda

Wednesday January 16, 2008

8:00 am Registration

9:30 am – 12:00 pm Pre-conference Skill-building Workshops (registration required)

~ 20 Workshops led by partners grouped under the following themes:
  • Campus-based/ University Inititiatives
  • Government and Policy Solutions
  • Community Initiatives
  • Climate Change Education: Formal and Informal
  • Monitoring and Assessment Tools
  • Communicating Climate Change

12:00 pm Showcase of Solutions– Exhibition and Scientific Poster presentations open

1:00 pm Keynote Address: Climate Change: Science to Solutions – What do we know? How do we act in time and in appropriate scale?

2:00 pm Plenary Presentation: Summarizing Global Change Science and the Likely Implications of Global Climate Change.

Moderator and IPCC Overview: Mohan Munasinghe, Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND)
  • The Atmosphere and the Cryosphere- Michael MacCracken, Chief Scientist for Climate Change Programs, The Climate Institute
  • Biodiversity and Ecological Impacts – Tom Lovejoy, President, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment
  • Human (Health and Well Being) Impacts- Sarah James, Alaskan Gwitch’in Steering Committee and Goldman Environmental prize-winner
  • National Security Impacts- Sherri Goodman, General Counsel, The CNA Corporation

3:30 pm Plenary Presentation: Tackling Global Change: Key Social and Ecological Issues for Mitigation and Adaptation

Moderator: Arden Bement, Director, National Science Foundation

  • Forest Management Response to Climate Change – Abigail Kimbell, Chief, US Forest Service
  • Oceans – Carbon Sink or Sinking Ecosystems – Margaret Leinen, Chief Scientific Officer, Climos
  • Ecosystem and Health Challenges – Mary C. Pearl, President, Wildlife Trust
  • People- The Solution- Thomas Dietz, Director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University

4:30 pm Plenary Roundtable: Tackling Global Change: Key Energy and Technology Issues for Stabilization

Moderator: Mark Myers , Director, US Geological Survey
  • Global Energy and Technology Strategy- Jae Edmonds, Laboratory Fellow and Chief Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • Healthy Solutions for a Low Carbon Economy- Paul Epstein, Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School
  • Role of Technology in Mitigating Global Climate Change- Frank Princiotta, Director, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, US EPA ORD
  • A Post Bali Framework for Climate Technology Innovation- Lewis Milford, President, Clean Energy Group
  • Commentary on Energy and Technological Challenges- David Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary, United States Department of Energy

5:30 – 6:30 pm Reception: Showcase of Solutions– Exhibition and Scientific Poster presentations

6:30 – 8:00 pm Perspectives of the Next Generation of Climate Change Leaders

Moderator: Philippe Cousteau, Co-Founder, EarthEcho

Opening remarks by Douglas Cohen, US Partnership, National Youth Initiatives and Session Co-Organizer

  • The Envirolution: Alex Gamboa, Timothy Polmateer, Antuan Cannon
  • Scott Beall, DoRight Enterprises
  • Jessy Tolkan, Energy Action Coalition

Thursday, January 17, 2008

8:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am Keynote Address: Climate Change: Science to Solutions – The Case for Business Leadership

James E. Rogers, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Duke Energy Corporation

10:00 am Plenary Roundtable: Solutions: Engaging Communities Large and Small

Moderator: Peter Senge, Founding Chairperson, Society for Organizational Learning
  • Energizing the Faithful – Rev. Richard Cizek, Vice-President, National Association of Evangelicals
  • Engaging the Campuses – Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
  • Engaging the Populace – Bill McKibben, Author, Scholar-in-residence in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College
  • Bringing Together Jobs, Justice, Environment and Community- Jerome Ringo, President, Apollo Alliance

11:00 am Plenary Roundtable: Solutions: Science and Policy on a Global Scale

Moderator and Opening Remarks: Global Leadership for Climate Action – Report from Bali – Mohamed El-Ashry, Senior Fellow, The UN Foundation and Former CEO and Chair, Global Environment Facility
  • Post-Kyoto International Agreements – Amb. Richard Benedick, President, National Council for Science and the Environment
  • IPCC: Future Role beyond the 4th Assessment- Stephen Schneider, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University
  • Global Energy Assessment- Bob Corell, Global Change Director, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment
  • European or Chinese perspective TBD

1:30 – 5:00 pm Breakout Sessions: Developing a Blueprint for the Low Carbon Economy (concurrent)

~40 Sessions grouped under the following themes:
  • Strategies for Stabilization, Minimization, Mitigation and Adaptation
    • Stabilization/Mitigation
      • End-use Technologies
      • Economics and Policy
      • Population and Consumption
    • Adaptation
  • Guiding and Fostering Multi-disciplinary Research
  • Expanding Understanding: Information, Education and Communication
    • Communicating Science to Decisionmakers and the Public
    • Managing Global Change Science Information
    • Integrating Global Change into Education at All Levels and Across the Curriculum

5:30 pm Lifetime Achievement Award

6:00 pm 8th John H. Chafee Memorial Lecture on Science and the Environment

“Meeting the Climate-Change Challenge” given by

John P. Holdren, President and Director, The Woods Hole Research Center

7:00 pm Reception

Friday, January 18, 2008

8:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:45 am American Perspective on Climate Change – Jon Krosnick, Professor of Communication, Political Science, and Psychology, Stanford University

9:00 am Plenary Roundtable

Developing Political Solutions to Climate Change (discussion with political leaders from Administration, Congress, state, local and other national governments)

Moderator: Ray Suarez , Senior Correspondent, The News Hour

10:30 am Symposia – Concurrent

  • Beyond Kyoto – Elements of a 20202 International Agreement– Moderator: Mohamed El-Ashry, Senior Fellow, The UN Foundation and Former CEO and Chair, Global Environment Facility; Dilip Ahuja, National Institute of Advanced Studies; Scott Barrett, Professor and Director, International Policy Program, Johns Hopkins University
  • Climate Change and International Development – Moderator: Mohan Munasinghe, Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND); Thomas Schelling, University of Maryland; Adrian Vazquez, Commission for Environmental Cooperation; Ralph Cicerone, President, National Academy of Sciences
  • Role of Philanthropic Foundations: Promoting Strategic Initiatives on Climate Change – Moderator: Sharon Alpert, Program Officer of the Environmental Program, Surdna Foundation ; Andrew Bowman, Director of the Climate Change Initiative, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Kathleen Welch, Deputy Director of the Environmental Program, the Pew Charitable Trusts; Eric Heitz, President, the Energy Foundation; Elizabeth Chadri, Program Officer for Conservation and Sustainable Development, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
  • Business and Finance: Opportunities and Challenges from Climate Change – Moderator: Jeffrey Leonard , CEO, Global Environment Fund; Bruce Schlein, Vice President Environmental Affairs, Citi; Mindy Lubber, President, CERES; Bruce Mundiel, Swiss Re; Mark Tercek, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs’ Center for Environmental Markets
  • Forging Alliances Between Business and Society – US Climate Action Partnership; Tim Mealey, Senior Partner, Meridian Institute; DuPont; Exelon Corporation; Environmental Defense; The Nature Conservancy; Pew Center on Global Climate Change; Shell
  • Legislative Agenda for Addressing the Carbon Problem –L. Jeremy Richardson, 2007-2008 AAAS Roger Revelle Fellow in Global Stewardship; Margaret Turnbull , Space Telescope Science Institute; Ken Colburn, Center for Climate Strategies; Lexi Shultz, Representative for Climate Policy, the Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Engaging State and Local Government: Developing and Implementing Climate Action Plans- Dan Kammen, University of California- Berkeley
  • Climate Scientists and Decisionmakers: the Communication Interface – Moderator:Rebecca J. Romsdahl, Department of Earth Systems Science and Policy, University of North Dakota;Stacy Rosenberg, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics & Environmental Studies, SUNY Potsdam; Deborah Cowman, Assistant Research Scientist, Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy, Texas A&M University; Chris Pyke, Constructive Technologies Group, Inc.; Kit Batten, Director of Environmental Policy, Center for American Progress; David Bookbinder, Senior Attorney, Sierra Club; Roger Pulwarty, National Drought Information System, NOAA, Boulder, CO
  • Communicating Climate Science to the Public Through the Media – Moderator: Deborah Potter, NewsLab; David Malakoff, Editor/Correspondent, NPR Science Desk; Stephen Schneider, Melvin and Joan Lane Professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University; Joe Witte, Meteorologist, WJLA-TV; Doyle Rice, USA Today Weather Editor; Sara Espinoza, National Environmental Education Foundation
  • Science for Carbon Management – Eric Sundquist, Research Geologist, US Geological Society

12:30 pm Buffet Lunch (with youth mentoring tables)

2:00 pm Presidential Candidates Forum: What Will the Next President do to Manage Climate Change?

Each Candidate is invited to attend or send a representative. Opening statements and moderated discussion.

Moderator: Vijay Vaitheeswaran , Global Correspondent, The Economist, using information from the Presidential Climate Action Plan led by former Senator Gary Hart and from other sources

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