More good news for the 350 movement!
August 26, 2009
On August 25th, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendera Pachauri, endorsed 350 parts per million as the new target number for the level of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere. In an interview he stated, “What is happening and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target.” Read the full article here.
This backing from one of the top UN climate scientists comes as excellent momentum for the 350 movement. Before the chairman’s statement, 450 parts per million had been the goal, set by a 2007 report given by the IPCC. This number has since been reduced, due to many factors- such as the Arctic melting, the decay of Greenland’s ice sheet, and proof of methane release from permafrost.
This is great news for the international youth climate movement, showing that progress is indeed being made with some of the top scientists and leaders of the world. It comes just in time for the anticipation of October 24th- a “Day of Action” set for events around the globe set to spread the message of 350.
Climate Advocacy Institute participants taking action for the 350 movement!
August 26, 2009
The Climate Advocacy Institute has equipped its young leaders with the advocacy skills they need to make an impact. Together with the Climate Advocacy Institute partner 350.org, these activists are preparing for a true movement!
This past July, IDEA, Bloomfield College, and 350.org hosted the Climate Advocacy Institute in Turkey. This three-week Institute hosted students from around the globe. This year, it focused on the 350 movement — an international campaign inspiring people everywhere to help lower our atmosphere’s CO2 level to 350 parts per million. And October 24th marks a milestone in the campaign, as the organization has been planning for a Day of Action around the world. Some students from the Institute are not only becoming active in the campaign, but they’re also becoming spokespersons for the movement. They’re taking action in their own communities on October 24th.
In Panama, Franco Fong is helping raise awareness about the campaign by giving presentations at local schools and universities. He’s also helping plan a group hike at the Metropolitan Natural Park at the end of September. Nadim Haidar, in Lebanon, is organizing an event that includes “a large amount of people lining up on the sea shore, carrying a 350 banner, possibly followed by a short march.” He’s working not only with 350, but also with IndyAct, to get the youth from his region involved on the Day of Action. Vesna Velevska and Simona Jandrevska from Macedonia are going to “group human 350 on the city square,” and “form 350 from canoes on one of Skopje artificial lakes.” They’re working in collaboration with a local organization, the Youth Educational Forum, to host the event.
Students from Bloomfield College are also getting involved by forming the “Green Hearts Environmental Movement”. This new organization is hosting events for 350.org, and is raising awareness by becoming official spokespersons for New Jersey. They’re planning a Day of Action event called “On the Green at Bloomfield College”, and they’re spreading the word at other events such as Open Mic Night, various fundraisers, and Bloomfield’s Harvest Fest in October.
Find out more about the movement and what you can do to spread the message in your community at 350.org. And to simply find out how you can take part in the 350 movement, check out this guide on how to live greener. You can also watch the new Discovery channel — Planet Green!
Check out what the Climate Advocacy Institute graduates are doing!
August 24, 2009
Some Institute alumni are now participating in a global competition called “Imagine,” hosted by GlobalFOCUS. This organization focuses on ways to influence policies and investments toward greener possibilities for the future. The “Imagine” competition is collecting positive visions for a bright sustainable future, where people live rich and fruitful lives without harming the planet. The best visions will be collected and presented to policymakers and stakeholders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. This is an opportunity for participants to take what they learned at the Institute and implement it into global policies that will affect how we all live.
Climate Advocacy Institute graduates are creating original projects that helped spread the message of the 350 movement, which focuses on ways to lower the CO2 level to 350 parts per million. Many students have taken on leadership roles with that movement, and this competition is giving the students the same opportunity.
Good luck to all the participants and thank you for promoting a better future for our planet!
Climate Advocacy Institute Google Earth Project
August 23, 2009
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Climate advocates make their presence on Google Earth
August 3, 2009
The participants of the 2009 Climate Advocacy Institute, today’s youth advocates against climate change, shared their photos and stories on Google Earth as part of their final project in the New Media track of the Institute.
Learn more about these amazing youth leaders by visiting Google Earth and searching for “Climate Advocacy Institute.”
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