BALI BUZZ - dispatches from the UN Climate Conference

Youth delegation raises concerns about U.S. position as dangerously out of touch and articulates clear vision for a clean energy future

For immediate release: December 3, 2007
For more information contact:Brianna Cayo Cotter, Energy Action Coalition, 415-305-1943 -brianna [at] energyaction.net; Yochi Zakai, SustainUS, 202-276-0330—yochi.zakai [at] sustainus.org

Bali, Indonesia- On Monday, December 3, 2007 a delegation of twenty youth leaders will begin two weeks of negotiations, meetings, and actions to demand that world leaders take the bold, global action necessary to avert a climate crisis at the UN Climate Negotiations in
Bali, Indonesia. This youth delegation, organized by SustainUS and representing a diverse group of young people from across the United States, are in Bali to advocate for their generation’s right to a clean energy future and denounce their government’s continued efforts to block progress on capping and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“There is no more time to debate, even though the Bush administration refuses to take action on climate change, our generation must work together on the most important issue that has ever faced humanity. We need action right now. We have spent months working to get here, and we want to engage in the negotiations and make our presence known,” said SustainUS delegate Logan Yonavjak.

These twenty youth delegates represent a burgeoning American youth climate change movement that is paving the way towards a clean, just, and sustainable future in spite of political leadership to the contrary. While the Bush administration has stymied efforts both domestically and internationally to seriously address climate change, the US youth
climate movement, through the Energy Action Coalition, has achieved considerable clean energy victories on their campuses and in their communities. The Bush administration’s positions in Bali do not represent American public opinion and the youth delegation to the
negotiations is intent on representing what America, and the world, want and need from a global climate agreement. Recent polls in the United States show that an overwhelming majority of Americans support clean energy initiatives and believe that America should be doing more to stop climate change.

“The decision-makers gathered in Bali should rest assured that those of us not in attendance are back home in the United States making sure that young people elect a President that will enforce a binding, mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jessy Tolkan, Executive Director of Programs at Energy Action Coalition. “Over the next two weeks, listen to the US youth delegation. They represent our country’s future, and they care about climate change.”

The U.S. youth delegation is part of a larger international youth delegation of over 100 young people from around the world calling for strong international cooperation and action in addressing climate change. United by the reality that young people and future generations will be most impacted by climate change, the international youth delegation will push hard for a variety of policy recommendations, which include strategies for education on green living, sustainable development for industrialized and developing countries, land use change, mitigation, adaptation, deforestation, and the socioeconomic effects of climate change. The most important policy they are calling for is an international, mandatory agreement to put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our message to world leaders is clear: support a strong, binding agreement to protect young people’s future and build a world that you can be proud to pass onto your children,” said Erin Kenzie, chair of SustainUS.

There are several youth-specific events taking place in Bali during the negotiations. International youth will kicked off the conference with a Conference of Youth on December 1st and have an emergency swimming lesson planned for December 4 in preparation for rising sea levels. On December 8, the International Day of Action and National Polar Bear Plunge will coincide with action events all over the globe.

For regular updates from the US youth delegation, visit www.ItsGettingHotInHere.org, during the conference, Dec. 3-14.

To schedule interviews with members of the U.S. youth delegation in Bali, please contact yochi.zakai@sustainus.org or brianna@energyaction.net.

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SustainUS is the US youth network for sustainable development. The delegation is part of the internationally recognized SustainUS Agents of Change program designed to facilitate youth involvement in international policymaking and advocate for a sustainable future. Individuals were invited to join after a highly competitive, national selection process. The team spent six months raising over $50,000, organizing with national and international youth, drafting policy recommendations, and working with media. The delegation draws from outstanding young leaders, including a Rhodes Scholar, a human rights videographer, and an elected official. The delegation together speaks 13 languages, despite all being under the age of 26.

The Energy Action Coalition unites a diversity of over fifty environmental and social justice organizations in an alliance that supports and strengthens the clean energy movement among students and young people in the United States and Canada. The partners of Energy Action work together to leverage our collective power to create change for a clean, efficient, just and renewable energy future. The work of Energy Action focuses on four strategic areas: campuses, communities, corporate practices and politics. For more information visit www.climatechallenge.org.