Climate movement facts for kids
The climate movement is a group of people and organizations working together to fight climate change. It's part of the bigger environmental movement, but many see it as a powerful new movement on its own because of how many people are involved and what they do.
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How the Climate Movement Started
The climate movement has grown very quickly in the last 20 years. It began as one of many important causes within the environmental movement.
People started taking action on climate change in the 1990s. Big environmental groups got involved in talks about climate, especially through the UNFCCC, which is a big meeting where countries discuss climate issues. In the 2000s, new groups focused only on climate were created, like 350.org.
Big Gatherings for Climate Action
The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was the first time the climate movement showed how many people it could bring together. Between 40,000 and 100,000 people marched in Copenhagen on December 12, asking for a worldwide agreement on climate. At the same time, over 5,400 protests happened in other places around the world.
What the Climate Movement Does
The People's Climate March
The climate movement held its biggest event on September 21, 2014. About 400,000 people marched in New York City during the People’s Climate March. Thousands more marched in other cities. They wanted world leaders, who were meeting for a UN Climate Summit, to take strong action on climate change.
Stopping Money for Fossil Fuels
The Fossil Fuel Divestment movement asks colleges, cities, religious groups, and other organizations to stop investing their money in companies that dig up and burn fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and gas). 350.org started their "Go Fossil Free" campaign in 2012. They believe that if it's wrong to harm the climate, then it's also wrong to make money from things that harm it. This movement has led to many protests and actions, with students asking their schools to pull their investments from these companies.
A Big Push for Climate Action
Since 2014, some parts of the climate movement, especially in the United States, have been pushing for a huge worldwide effort to fight climate change. They want a response similar to how America organized its economy during World War II. The goal is to quickly cut down carbon pollution and switch to 100% clean energy much faster than it would happen on its own. Groups like The Climate Mobilization have worked to make this happen. In 2016, activists even got this idea included in the Democratic Party's national plan.
School Strikes for Climate
Since August 2018, many children and students have been inspired by Greta Thunberg. They started school strikes for climate in at least 270 cities. This means they skip school on Fridays to protest and demand action on climate change from their leaders.
How Other Groups Help
The climate movement works closely with other parts of the environmental movement. This includes groups that want to create a sustainable society and use sustainable energy.
Faith communities have also been active in the climate movement. This includes groups from different religions working together, like Our Voices, and specific religious groups, like the Global Catholic Climate Movement.
What Makes Climate Campaigns Work
Three main ideas can help climate campaigns be successful:
- Sharing information: Giving people facts about global climate change and its effects.
- Framing the message: Presenting information about climate change in a way that makes sense and connects with people.
- Challenging discussions: Making sure that talks about climate change aren't just about money, but also about protecting nature and letting everyday people have a say.
These approaches can be used in campaigns for the general public. Giving information about how climate change affects us can help people form their own beliefs and decide to take action. The third approach, focusing on environmental values and grass-roots democracy (where ordinary people have power), is seen as key to making bigger, lasting changes.
Images for kids
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Countries by Climate change performance Index
