The Peoples Climate Movement Day of Action this Wednesday is one of largest events in climate activism as we approach the end of what is perhaps the most significant year in the history of environmental activism.
With large October 14 actions in cities and towns across the United States, PCM is amplifying the message “To Change Everything, We Need Everyone, Everywhere.”
With just a month and a half remaining until December’s historic COP21 UN Climate Talks in Paris and a year after 400,000 convened in New York City for the Peoples Climate March, Wednesday is a capstone event in the 2015 Act on Climate campaign, which has succeeded in moving climate change action and awareness to the top of the queue.
Why Participate?
The role of bold local civic engagement in creating a ‘climate safe world’ is evidenced by the release this week of a Stockholm Environmental Institute study detailing how the decisions of local leaders and mayors can be instrumental in controlling 1/3 of the global carbon budget. This correct use of this 200 gigatons could insure that global warming does not exceed 2 degrees Celsius.
FIND AN ACTION WITHIN 50 MILES OF YOUR LOCATION
“Based on a business as usual trajectory, and based on current rates of urbanization, the infrastructure and policy decisions made in the next five years will exceed a cumulative emissions threshold of 1000 gigatons at some point in the future,” according to Seth Schultz, the director of research, measurement, and planning at C40 Cities, who commissioned the report. (for in-depth analysis, read Chris Mooney’s WAPO article yesterday Why Earth’s future will depend on how we build our cities.
C40 Cities reports that by 2020, innovative building practices and a shift to efficient mass transit could cumulatively realize a 40% reduction in GHG emissions.
This is a big deal! This is your change to put pressure on your leaders to address climate change where you live. As 195 countries file their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) committing to act on climate, there is no time like the present to demand our towns and cities advance bold local commitments as well.
Get Involved
Sign up here!!! –> People’s Climate Movement
Bringing The COP Home
To demystify and personalize the climate negotiations, a youth-led project COP IN MY CITY is working to inspire local climate actions in cities the world over. This educational project aims to create “an international community of change-makers.”