Our Climate Politics 2020 joint coverage week, September 21-28, has launched! Together we’re making some noise so voters know what’s at stake for the planet and humanity when they head to the ballot box this November.
A number of our partners have started the week by lifting up the voices of those who will be most affected by the climate crisis: young people. At The Guardian, first-time voters are guest editing a special climate edition of The Guardian US. “We want to bring attention to the physical and mental burdens that our generation is saddled with due to the negligence of past generations,” says Alice Shinn, a 20-year-old student participating in the initiative.
NBC News will hear from young voters as part of its ‘Planet 2020’ project — tune in tonight at 8 p.m. EST on NBC News Now. Al Roker and Savannah Sellers are examining the intersection of climate change, extreme weather, and politics. You can watch Roker preview the program here.
The Nation, as part of its StudentNation ‘Vision 2020’ project, reports on how the climate crisis is shaping the priorities of Millennials and Generation Z. “Young activists from organizations like Zero Hour, Sunrise Movement, and beyond are demanding that all political candidates in the 2020 election begin to make mitigating global warming a key policy issue,” writes Jacob Wallace. The Nation also has a Q&A with Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, with CCNow executive director Mark Hertsgaard, about the group’s effort to replicate its Democratic primary election wins in the general election this fall.
The above pieces from The Nation, and the following content are available for republication:
- From The Guardian, a feature on college students pressuring their universities to cut emissions; and op-eds from teens, one in Texas and one in Alaska on how climate change has already proved a defining force in their lives.
- From Teen Vogue, an op-ed by Rachel Zhang, a first-time voter who says young people must push the Democratic Party to prioritize the climate emergency.
- From Yes! Magazine, a look at how how intergenerational, multi-racial coalitions in the climate movement are building electoral power for November 2020 and beyond.
- From WURD in Philadelphia, an op-ed from managing editor Charles Ellison about how environmental concerns might help get out the Black vote this fall.
- From InsideClimate News, a report on the split among young Republican climate activists — do they vote for climate progress or for Donald Trump?
Be sure to follow coverage of #ClimatePolitics2020 throughout the week on our website here and on social media @CoveringClimate. We encourage everyone to read the stories, share with others and let us know what’s missing from the coverage.