350.org facts for kids
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| Formation | 2007 |
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| Type | NGO |
| Purpose | cut CO2 emissions and build a global movement for climate solutions |
| Headquarters | Oakland, California |
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Founders
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Bill McKibben, Phil Aroneanu, Will Bates, Kelly Blynn, May Boeve and Jamie Henn |
| Award(s) | Right Livelihood Award |
350.org is an international group that works to protect our planet. They focus on the climate crisis, which is the big problem of Earth's climate changing too much. Their main goal is to stop using fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and gas). They want us to switch to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. They do this by building a worldwide movement of people who care about the climate.
The "350" in their name is very important. It stands for 350 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. Scientists say that 350 ppm is the safest limit for CO2 to avoid serious climate changes. However, by the end of 2007, when 350.org started, the CO2 level was already higher, at 383 ppm. By July 2022, it had reached 421 ppm. This is 50% more than before factories and cars became common.
350.org uses online campaigns and organizes events with many partner groups. They have brought together thousands of volunteers in over 188 countries. They were a key organizer of the huge Global Climate Strike in September 2019. This strike grew from the Fridays for Future movement, where students protest for climate action.
Contents
What Does 350.org Do?
350.org runs many different campaigns. These campaigns happen in local areas and all around the world.
Ending Fossil Fuel Investments
One big campaign is called "Fossil Free." It asks organizations to stop investing money in companies that deal with fossil fuels. This idea is similar to past movements that pushed for change, like stopping investments in South Africa during apartheid.
Since 2012, over 1,500 organizations have promised to stop investing in fossil fuels. These groups manage more than $40 trillion (that's a lot of money!).
350.org explains their reason simply: "If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage." They want groups to stop new investments in fossil fuel companies right away. They also want them to sell off any current investments in these companies.
This campaign started with colleges and universities in the United States. Now, it includes cities, big banks, religious groups, and more. Many countries, including Australia, have active campaigns to end fossil fuel investments.
Stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline
350.org saw the Keystone XL pipeline as a major issue for the environment. This pipeline was planned to carry oil from Canada to the United States.
Scientists like James Hansen called the oil in Canadian bitumen sands a "carbon bomb." This means burning it would release a huge amount of carbon into the air.
350.org worried about oil spills from the pipeline. It would pass near important water sources, like the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in Texas. This aquifer provides drinking water for over 12 million people. It could also harm the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies water for millions and for farming.
People who supported the pipeline said it would create many jobs. But 350.org argued that it would only create a few thousand temporary jobs during construction. The U.S. government estimated only 35 permanent jobs. Also, groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said the pipeline might raise gas prices, not lower them. They also said it wouldn't make the U.S. more energy independent, as the oil was mostly for export.
Because of efforts from 350.org and others, President Barack Obama stopped the pipeline project in 2015. This was a big win for climate action.
Later, President Donald Trump tried to restart the project in 2017. But in 2021, President Joe Biden canceled the permit on his first day in office. The project was finally given up in June 2021. News reports highlighted 350.org's role in stopping it.
Local Fossil Fuel Bans
Around the world, local areas are passing laws to limit or ban fossil fuel production. For example, in Brazil, 410 cities and two states have banned fracking, a way to get gas from the ground.
Global Climate Action Days
350.org has organized several big global events to raise awareness:
International Day of Climate Action
On October 24, 2009, 350.org organized an "International Day of Climate Action." This event aimed to influence leaders attending a big United Nations climate meeting. It was the first global campaign based on a specific scientific number (350 ppm).
People in 181 countries held over 5,200 events. These included showing the number "350" in huge ways, marches, rallies, and tree plantings. In the Maldives, government leaders even held an underwater meeting to show how rising sea levels affect them!
Global Work Party
On October 10, 2010, 350.org teamed up with the 10:10 Climate Campaign for another global action day. This time, the focus was on local actions people could take. Events included planting trees, installing solar panels, and switching to cleaner energy providers. These actions happened in almost every country.
Connect the Dots
In 2012, 350.org continued its efforts with a series of rallies called "Connect the Dots." The goal was to show how climate change is linked to extreme weather events, like heatwaves, droughts, and big storms. This day was also called "Climate Impacts Day."
Global Power Shift
In June 2013, 350.org brought together about 500 climate organizers from 135 countries in Istanbul, Turkey. This event, called "Global Power Shift," helped them share ideas and learn how to organize better. After this meeting, organizers went back to their home countries to hold their own climate events and protests.
Summer Heat
In the summer of 2013, 350.org launched the "Summer Heat" campaign in the USA. This involved many large protests in different locations. People from local communities, labor unions, farmers, and environmental groups joined in. Their slogan was: "As The Temperature Rises, So Do We."
People's Climate March
350.org helped organize the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014. Over 2,000 events took place around the world, showing strong support for climate action.
Global Climate Strike
350.org was a main organizer of the Global Climate Strike from September 20–27, 2019. Strikes were planned in over 150 countries. Many groups, including NGOs and unions, supported these strikes. They were inspired by the school strikes of the Fridays for Future movement.
The goal was to draw attention to the urgent climate crisis. They wanted to pressure politicians, the media, and the fossil fuel industry to act. Over 7.6 million people in 185 countries took part. This made it the largest climate protest in history.
Other Activities
Besides big events, 350.org does ongoing work. They plant trees to help absorb carbon dioxide. They promote the number "350" and publish ads in newspapers. They also educate young leaders and talk to governments about carbon targets. They even made a video showing the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska melting, to show how warming climates affect the Earth.
Do The Math Movie
The Do The Math movie is a 42-minute film. It talks about the growing movement to change the scary numbers of the climate crisis. It also challenges the fossil fuel industry. The film focuses on three key numbers:
- To keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (which is already considered risky), we can only release 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide into the air.
- However, fossil fuel companies have 2,795 gigatons of carbon in their proven reserves. This is the amount they plan to burn.
- This 2,795 gigatons is five times more than the safe limit of 565 gigatons.
Rise: From One Island to Another Poem
"Rise: From One Island to Another" is a poem and video project. It shows how sea level rise affects islands and how the climate crisis connects different countries. The poem was written by two islanders: Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner from the Marshall Islands and Aka Niviâna from Greenland.
Through their poetry, they link their experiences of melting glaciers and rising sea levels. The video helps viewers see how big, yet connected, our world is.
Bill McKibben, a founder of 350.org, explains that science alone isn't enough to make people act. He says we also need to appeal to emotions. "Rise" tries to do this by showing that the destruction of one homeland affects everyone. The film was created in 2018 by a team including Dan Lin, Nick Stone, Rob Lau, and Oz Go.
How 350.org Started
350.org was started by American environmentalist Bill McKibben and some students from Middlebury College in Vermont. In 2007, their "Step It Up" campaign held 1,400 protests across the United States. McKibben believes these actions helped change the energy policies of politicians like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. In 2008, 350.org grew from this campaign into a global organization.
Bill McKibben is a writer who wrote one of the first books about global warming for everyone to read. He often writes about climate change, alternative energy, and the need for local economies. As of 2022, McKibben is a senior advisor to 350.org, and May Boeve is the Executive Director.
Rajendra Pachauri, a top climate scientist from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has supported the idea of reducing carbon dioxide to 350 ppm. McKibben called this support "amazing." Many saw Pachauri's endorsement as a big success for 350.org's work.
The organization became more well-known after Bill McKibben appeared on The Colbert Report TV show in 2009. McKibben promotes 350.org by giving talks and writing articles for major newspapers. In 2012, the organization won the Katerva Award for Behavioural Change.
The Science Behind 350
NASA climate scientist James Hansen has said that any amount of CO2 in the air above 350 parts per million (ppm) is not safe. In 2009, Hansen explained that to keep our planet similar to how it was when human civilization grew, CO2 needs to be reduced to 350 ppm or even less.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas that traps heat. In 2013, the global average CO2 rose to 396 ppm. In May 2013, scientists recorded that CO2 in the atmosphere went over 400 ppm for the first time in over 3 million years. By May 2019, it crossed 415 ppm, and it continues to rise.
In 2009, countries agreed to try and limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. But in the 2015 Paris Agreement, they set a new goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is because scientists found that even a half-degree difference has huge impacts, especially for areas vulnerable to climate change. A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) urged action to keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Scientists estimate that to stay below a 2-degree Celsius increase, humans can only release about 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, fossil fuel companies have about 2,795 gigatons of carbon in their proven reserves. This is five times more than the safe limit.
Who Works with 350.org?
350.org says it works with 300 organizations around the world. Many famous people have also supported the group or its goals. These include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Alex Steffen, Bianca Jagger, David Suzuki, and Colin Beavan.
In 2011, another environmental group called 1Sky joined with 350.org.
See also
In Spanish: 350.org para niños
- 10:10 (climate change campaign)
- Efforts to reduce air pollution
- Reducing climate change
- Environmental movement
- Individual and political action on climate change
- List of environmental issues
