We asked Daniela Kunkel-Linares, our former Senior Youth Coordinator and Libby, our former Youth Environmental Activists! (YEA!) member and Youth Team Intern to reflect on their time in the program and their relationship as they move on to new adventures. They took the opportunity to write letters to each other. The following reflects the power […] The post Letters to my co-mentor: reflections on building meaningful relationships in a scary world appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

Friends, we are in the midst of a coup. The things happening in Washington D.C. these days are unconstitutional and illustrate how little our elected officials actually understand the complexities of our federal administrations. It is terrifying on many levels. I think we need to stop asking people if they believe in climate change and […] The post Joy and anger and hope: youth climate activism appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

As I write this, wildfires in LA County continue to rage out of control. My daughter, who lives in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles cannot breathe. This tragedy was preventable. We are being offered opportunities to connect the dots, to see the relationships and root causes between who suffers and who does not. […] The post Do the Next Right Thing. Repeat. appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

I sit here, laptop in lap, breathing into the anxiety that this moment of uncertainty and mild terror at what might be coming all balled into one, trying to hold on to every spark of hope from the last few months. Trying to be grounded in reality and lead from a place of imagination, joy, […] The post We’re For a Better Future appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

As we get ready to leave Baku, Azerbaijan for our long journey home and reflect back on our time here, I am filled with mixed emotions about what we experienced. Of course, on one hand, I am frustrated and filled with dread about the fact that our world’s nations don’t seem to act with any […] The post Final Reflection of COP29 appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

The world’s first oil well was built in Bibi-Heybat, Azerbaijan. This land has a deep history steeped in oil pipelines, fracking, and human right’s violations. Upon arrival the police presence paints a picture of a dystopian reality that many Azeris face daily. Lowly police officers are overshadowed by Azerbaijani soldiers in military gear proudly carrying […] The post All Along The Watchtower appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

If the entirety of African nations cut their global emissions by 100%, that would only account for 4% reduction of the world’s emissions. That staggering fact is one I haven’t been able to shake after attending a panel discussion called “Just Climate Finance Requires a Regenerative Economy: a Black Liberation Analysis” featuring Analyah dos Santos.  […] The post COP29 Wrapped appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

You could see them if you tried: on paintings hung on cafe walls, tucked among arrays of souvenir ornaments and plastic knick knacks, blinking on the horizon of the Caspian. There they were: behind and beside and below the signs reading “Solidarity for a Greener World.” They were there in Elnur Soltanov’s excitement about the […] The post The Shadow of the Rig appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

As I sit here, waiting to depart Baku, I am distraught, exhausted, disappointed, concerned, and ready to get the heck out of here. I usually don’t say that when traveling to foreign countries. While Baku (and Azerbaijan) is beautiful, the people are kind, and I am going next to another neighboring country for some respite, […] The post Final Thoughts on COP29 appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more

“The measure of a country’s greatness should be based on how well it cares for its most vulnerable populations.” – Mahatma Gandhi It is no longer the question of whether climate change is real or not; as record-breaking temperatures, destructive floods, droughts, wildfires, and tropical cyclones occur around the entire world. Zooming in, the United […] The post The great divide in climate action appeared first on Climate Generation ..read more