Jessy Tolkan's blog

In 2009, you all relentlessly proved that the youth climate movement is more powerful than ever, and as an eventful year ends we want to thank you for all you contributed. 

Our votes, our meetings with elected officials, our community outreach, our regional Power Shift '09 summits, our "It's Game Time, Obama!" actions that led to the new administration's first-ever White House Youth Clean Energy Forum, our presence in Copenhagen, our investment in new leadership and a dynamic campaign vision for 2010 leave us poised to realize long-awaited results in legislation, participation in next year's critical midterm elections and engagement with the general public.

We experienced some setbacks this year with Congress and Copenhagen, but there is still reason to be optimistic about the future -- most notably because of YOU! We've seen our collective power in action, and we're confident that we'll continue to make a huge impact on securing a clean and just climate and energy future for our generation.

Remember while you're spending the holidays with friends and family to tell the story of the amazing year we had and encourage them to join us in this fight.

Tell them about our meeting at the White House in which we held the President's top officials accountable for mountaintop removal, the myth of "clean coal" and insufficient emissions reduction targets. Tell them about the $4 billion coal plant we saw shut down in Ohio over Thanksgiving. Tell them about the local community leaders we saw look their elected officials in the face and demand an explanation as to why they should bear a disproportionate amount of the negative effects of climate change and dirty energy. Tell them about the stimulus money we've seen used to create the green jobs we heard about on the campaign trail.

One of the most common themes on the Obama campaign trail was that sometimes the people are far ahead of the game, ready for change and waiting for their leaders to step up and represent them effectively. As I arrived in Copenhagen yesterday and stood in line with 20,000 member of the international NGO community to enter the Bella Center, there was no question in my mind that this is the case with fighting climate change. The people of the world are ready, and this city is so primed for bold action - if only our leaders can come to the table with a real commitment to progress.

With President Obama's trip to the summit pushed back to next week, the activity here is quickly ramping its way up from frenetic initial enthusiasm to discerning skepticism regarding how serious the United States is about delivering the change our climate and energy crisis necessitates. While some are convinced that this gathering is little more than a vehicle of green-washed lip service, I see many compelling reasons to be optimistic about our prospects for substantive movement on these issues in early 2010.

Foremost was a call I received yesterday afternoon from Lisa Jackson, our fearless EPA administrator, who was energized by her agency's endangerment finding announcement and commitment to regulate Green House Gas. On the heels of the youth climate movement's first meeting with President Obama's top White House officials last week, it was a "Pinch Me" moment to celebrate her news while standing in the lobby of a Copenhagen Hotel, in the shadow of 192 countries and their delegates, finally making some headway on an issue that has been disregarded for nearly a decade when we already had no time to waste. I was particularly moved that Administrator Jackson recognized the efforts of the member organizations of the Energy Action Coalition, and that she would take the time to thanks us for our hard work, refusal to settle, and for keeping the pressure on when backing down might have been easier or more politically convenient.

When the members of the Energy Action Coalition come together, we have a little cheer we like to sing that goes something like this:

"Ooo! It's hot in here. // There's too much carbon in the atmosphere. Take action! Take action! // And get some satisfaction!"

The day was the beginning of a refreshing dialogue we hope to continue into the remainder of Obama's term, and especially in the critical first months of 2010 that will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the direction our movement takes going forward.

For the last couple of months we've been organizing our communities to make our voices heard and remind President Obama that "It's Game Time." Today the Obama Administration announced that (1) President Obama will be attending the Copenhagen climate negotiations and (2) that they will be hosting a webcasted address and meeting for young leaders in the movement!

On Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 4pm - 7pm EST, senior-level White House officials will meet in Washington DC with leaders from our movement in its first-ever Youth Clean Energy Forum to discuss moving forward to a bold, clean and just energy future.

It's an exciting day for us and proof that taking action works. Our "It's Game Time, Obama!" initiative logged more than 50,000 actions since it launched on Nov. 4 and now we're seeing results. We asked Obama to meet with us, give a national address outlining his strategy, and attend Copenhagen in person. Not only did the President announce this morning that he'll be attending Copenhagen, the Youth Clean Energy Forum will give us a direct opportunity to inform his agenda there and tell his team what kind of leadership we need on climate and energy.

That's two major victories worth celebrating, so maybe have an extra celebratory scoop of cranberries with your tofurkey when you're being thankful this weekend!

The forum will take place only one week from today, and we want to make sure that you have a chance to contribute to the conversation. If you'd like us to ask a question at the meeting on your behalf, just send us a tweet @powershift09 and add the hashtag #ClimateQs.⁽¹⁾

After an emotional week for the members of the youth climate movement, who have staked so much hope on the promise of passing legislation in congress this year and sealing a binding agreement in Copenhagen, we've had to deal with managing our expectations and reframing how we approach the opportunities that are still ahead of us.

I wrote on Monday that we would adamantly continue to play our unique role as the generation who will bear the brunt of the negative impact every time our leaders choose to delay decisive action on climate and energy. I still believe this is true, but I also believe we have an obligation to step back and celebrate the victories that will ultimately help us achieve our vision. Using the slower pace of the coming holiday weekend to regroup, as frustrating as it may seem to some passionate activists, can allow us to gain perspective that will allow us to continue to be relevant in the dialogue surrounding legislation - even if it winds up happening in April - and make the most of Copenhagen next month.

Foremost, we're lucky that President Obama is our teammate, as opposed to an administration that did not even acknowledge science and reality. The members of the Energy Action Coalition's partner organizations have called on him this month to provide leadership in our basketball-themed, "It's Game Time, Obama!" outreach effort, and I'm pleased to report that members of his administration are hearing us.

I was wide awake until 3am last night watching President Obama take questions from students in Shanghai, China, after announcing over the weekend that the expectations for the United Nation's climate meeting in Copenhagen next month will be significantly scaled back.

Seeing a president who wants to be a part of the solution to the negative effects of harmful pollution and dirty energy address a crowd of young people should have been rewarding. Instead, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that he has yet to engage with the young Americans in the youth climate movement in the same way. Especially since we're here, rallying around these essential issues using the grassroots organizing skills he championed during the election, trying to underscore the "fierce urgency of now" he encouraged us to believe in.

Maybe if the president had engaged with us more deeply, he would understand that young people know we can't put politics before progress on climate and energy.

Sadly, President Obama isn't showing the leadership on the climate crisis that millions of young people expected from Candidate Obama. It's game time, but instead of making the winning basket, he's called for a delay of game.