View this email in your browser

It's time to take action.

Do you fear the impacts that climate change will have on your life? Someone else’s? On the world?

We do too, and we want to hear about your experiences with the ongoing climate crisis, along with providing some hopeful news.

image: Fernanda Lugo, Intern

The fear of Climate Change

We asked Instagram users about their biggest fears revolving around climate change, and it’s safe to say that, even to the least concerned ones, Climate Change is a real threat. From feeling like the end of the world is nearing and experiencing purposelessness, to expecting exploitation based on race, class, caste, gender, and all societal norms to take place, the fears are very real. And to take one more cautious step: very probable.

Some people think we will run out of fresh water and may end up drinking slightly polluted water because something is better than nothing. Others say that the fact that we are aware of the effects of climate change will lead capitalists to hoard clean water and profit off of people’s lives.

If we grow into that ideology, there are so many consequences that capitalists can manipulate, that non believers of climate change can advocate, and that activists can fight against. But looking at the collective responses received, it is a safe bet to say that what everyone is afraid of is a lower living standard - worse for some than others - and that people fear not being able to get what will eventually be scarce.

What do we do about this fear of impending doom? About the lack of certainty of the existence of resources for the coming generations to use? About reducing life expectancy and increasing diseases? How do you deal with it?

image: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Political Action

On January 20th, United States president Joseph R. Biden Jr. recommitted the country to the Paris climate agreement - a commitment from over 200 nations to work to reduce global warming and avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

This means:

• Federal agencies were ordered to review and reinstate over one hundred environmental regulations that were either removed or weakened by the Trump Administration.

• The US has officially re-begun the work to reduce its impact on the environment.

image: acton.org

Also on January 20th, president Biden revoked the Keystone XL oil pipeline’s construction permit. The pipeline would have carried carbon-intensive oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast

Just last week, Shell Oil Company officially announced that they have crossed their peak oil production.

• 2019 is the year that Shell Oil Company produced the most oil. This suggests that big oil companies will begin to lose political power.
  

Action from the Solve Climate by 2030 community

• 100,000 students and teachers tuning into webinars in the USA and 50 other countries on April 7th

• A concert series spreading awareness on February 19th (Instagram live, 6pm EST)

• 300+ interns asking their teachers to #MakeClimateAClass

• Social media platforms providing educational resources, linked below

• Committing to help solve Climate Change by 2030, starting here!

image: @west.coast.climate

We want to hear from YOU

Take the survey below and write to us. We would like to know your stories of understanding climate change, as an individual and in the education system; what environmental topics you want to hear about in future newsletters; and how you think we can equip ourselves to fight climate change.

“We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.”

-Barack Obama, Former US President