NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: November 23, 2009
U.S. Youth Call for American Action
in Copenhagen to Protect Their Future
National Delegation to Go to UN Climate Negotiations,
Demand Strong Action From Senators and President
A delegation of 26 U.S. youth will head to Copenhagen, Denmark, next week to demand U.S. participation in a fair, binding, and science-based global climate treaty at the United Nations climate change summit. The delegation, recruited by SustainUS, an American youth organization calling for strong sustainable development policies, will coordinate the activities of 500 other U.S. youth from across the country inside the halls of the UN climate change conference. The delegates are attending the negotiations to speak on behalf of their country's young people and future generations in support of climate action. “It is ultimately my generation that could benefit from the decisions, or suffer from the indecisions, our leaders make in Copenhagen. Youth voices must be followed, not just acknowledged," says Maggie Comstock, 21, a SustainUS delegate from Kailua, Hawaii.
While in Copenhagen, the SustainUS delegates will pressure the U.S. Congress and President Obama through official UN speeches, non-violent creative direct actions, lobbying U.S. Senators and Representatives, and rallying youth back home to take action in Washington and in their communities. "The best thing the United States can do to ensure success in Copenhagen and beyond is to pass clean energy and climate legislation in the Senate," says SustainUS delegate Liz Trombley, 23, of Cincinnati, OH. Laura Comer, 20, of Cleveland agrees. They have both been working to pass federal legislation to make energy efficiency investments more affordable and cut their cities' dependence on dirty Midwestern coal. "From one politician to another, it can be done, " agrees Dominic Frongillo, a SustainUS delegate and town councilman from Caroline, NY, who saved his voters money and cut carbon pollution by giving every home energy-efficient lightbulbs. "Congressional action is not enough, though," adds Ayodele Akinpelu, of Detroit, MI. "Young Americans lose out if President Obama fails to come to Copenhagen and lead the United States into a global climate agreement. We cannot in good conscience let that happen. Our future is not up for negotiation."
The delegates were chosen through a highly selective application process and include seven Udall Scholars, two Truman Scholars, and two Fulbright Fellows. All have been active in their own communities, making their hometowns and schools more sustainable and leading the U.S. youth climate movement. By making the UN process more transparent, the SustainUS delegates hope to inspire and empower youth at home to take political action on climate and clean energy issues in their communities.
While global expectations for Copenhagen outcomes have dimmed in recent weeks, most prominently due to inaction in the U.S. Senate, the SustainUS delegates will work to pressure both international leaders in Copenhagen and American elected officials back home during their stay abroad. "I'm embarrassed that America has stalled progress on an international climate deal by not passing strong legislation," said delegate Marcie Smith of Richmond, Kentucky. "It's up to our generation to fix that. Our voice for change will carry all the way from Copenhagen to Washington."
SustainUS is a future-focused, youth-run sustainable development policy and advocacy organization founded in 2001. Our Agents of Change delegations empower youth to participate in sustainable development negotiations in the U.S. and around the world. Our Citizen Science competition inspires young scientists and engineers to research sustainable development solutions and present them to world leaders at the United Nations. We are an award-winning leader in building the global youth climate movement, training youth advocates worldwide to expand their capacity, and providing policy analysis for youth at international meetings.
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