This morning I spent some time reflecting on the most memorable moments of the past decade. My own roots as a climate activist began at age 20 when I had the privilege of attending a Student Climate Summit in the Hague in November 2000. Since that time the youth climate movement has grown from a small but dedicated group scattered across a few college campuses to a bona-fide movement of millions worldwide now shaping the agenda of global politics.Here are ten moments that remind me most of how far we’ve come:
- December 2009 - Youth sit-in, refuse to leave while reading 11 million voices for a strong climate deal in Copenhagen
- October 2009 – 15,000 school kids march for climate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in One of over 5000 climate demonstrations in 181 countries
- March 2009 – 2,500 Protest Capitol Coal Plant after historic Power Shift Conference
- December 2008 – Youth climate journalist breaks story of Tennessee Coal Ash spill 100 times bigger than Exxon Valdez
- April 2007 – 1350 “Step It Up” Demonstrations put 80% by 2050 carbon target on the map
- December 2005 – International Youth launch popular climate blog ItsGettingHotinHere.org at Montreal Climate Talks
- June 2004 – Youth leaders from more than 20 organizations in U.S. and Canada form the Energy Action Coalition
- November 2003 – Students at 65 colleges and universities organize the first National Day of Action for Clean Energy
- April 2001 – Seven-Day Student Sit-in for “Kyoto Now!” Wins Cornell University Climate Commitment
- December 2000 – Over 200 students pressure governments at UN Climate Talks in The Hague
This list is admittedly skewed toward a U.S. perspective. While researching the list over the last several hours, I came across so many other inspiring stories. If you, like me, just can’t get enough of climate history, take a look at 17 more incredible moments from the past decade…
- Activists Temporarily stop blasting of Coal River Mountain (December 2009)
- EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Imperil Health (December 2009)
- Navajo Nation passes historic green jobs legislation (July 2009)
- NASA Climate Scientist James Hansen Arrested Protesting Mountaintop Removal in West Virginia (June 2009)
Youth actions put Survival on the agenda at Poznan Climate Negotiations (December 2008)
- Tim DeChristopher bids up oil and gas leases in Utah (December 2008)
- Bank of America pulls out of Mountaintop Removal Coal Investments (December 2008)
- “Dream Reborn” Conference in Memphis marks national launch of green collar jobs movement (April 2008)
- Al Gore and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change win Nobel peace prize for climate change awareness efforts (October 2007)
- Climate Tipping Points Get Scarrier (August 2007)
- 11 Arrested at WV Governor’s office for protesting approval of second coal silo near elementary school (March 2007)
- 10 States Sue Bush EPA for refusing to regulate power plant CO2 (April 2006)
- Hurricane Katrina kills 1,836 in largest natural disaster in U.S. history (August 2005)
- With Russian ratification, Kyoto Protocol enters into force (February 2005)
- Record Heatwave Kills 35,000 Across Europe (August 2003)
- University of California passes green building and clean energy policy following year-long student campaign (July 2003)
- President Bush refuses to ratify Kyoto Protocol, breaking campaign promise (March 2001)
That’s all I’ve got. What are your favorite climate moments of the ’00s? Please share.
Subscribe by Email!
Subscribe by RSS!
Share on Facebook
70 teens and young professionals from 17 nations gathered in Merida, Mexico November 1-13, 2009 staking a claim for being included in the decisions that were being made for wilderness and its impact on climate change. see WILD9.org and the speech by McKenzy Haber
In Canada approx 50 University students and a 15 year old participated in sit ins across the country, all were arrested
Maybe it wasn’t started by youth, but it got all the attention it did and most of the participants were youth… so, how is Live Earth not even a mention on this list!
Until economic alternative is available widely and easily , no carbon emitting industry totally accept it easily , no rule can change the world until society accept it . most of developing nations citizens still unaware or bother of it.This is one of major reason of failure.
The Indian Youth Climate Network is doing interesting work, successfully, in a place where it’s not always easy to break through with a new message. http://iycn.in/
Do tell people about aidesep who have done a great job of stopping the Amazon being trashed for oil, sadly many of them were killed at Bagua.
If you let people know, fewer of these brave people will be killed in the future.
In Massachusetts The Leadership Campaign (students from 20+ area univerisities and colleges) started camping out on their campuses and then converging on Sunday nights on Boston Common to sleep outside (started the weekend of Oct 24th) to call for 100% clean energy in MA by 2020. James Hansen, BIll Mc KIbben and Reverend Usherwood (Hip Hop Nation) joined them, and on Monday mornings they walk across the street to state house to lobby for the bill THEY WROTE “No less than 100%, no more than 350″. They will continue their campaign in January.
perhaps I’m biased, but I thought Rising Tide’s first action in North America – which was both youth and community organized – which was the 1st direct action blockade of a coal plant in US history was a good one… Summer 2006.
http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2006/07/11/resisting-king-coal-rising-tides-1st-direct-action-in-north-america/
Hey Josh,
Just want to note the Power Shifts that happened all over the world.
thanks for inspiring all of us.
Shadia
The list wouldn’t be complete without a hat tip to Nelly for inspiring the name of the blog.