To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Young activists shout slogans on stage after Greta Thunberg (not in the picture) took part in the plenary session during the COP25 Climate Conference on December 11, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. The COP25 conference brings together world leaders, climate activists, NGOs, indigenous people and others for two weeks in an effort to focus global policy makers on concrete steps for heading off a further rise in global temperatures. (Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
This story may be updated.
Young activists took over and occupied the main stage at the COP 25 climate conference in Madrid, Spain Wednesday and demanded world leaders commit to far more ambitious action to address the ecological emergency.
\u201cHappening now: Youth activists from all around the world storm the stage at #COP25 to demand real climate action! Dear leaders, your empty words will not solve this crisis. #YourVoteOurFuture\u201d— Fridays for Future Germany (@Fridays for Future Germany) 1576056380
"Nobody has ever done an action like this before," said youth climate striker Dylan Hamilton of Scotland, "the times are changing."
Video posted by Brussels-based climate activist Damien Thomson shows protesters with Fridays for Future walking onto the stage and siting down. The group's chants included, "What do we want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now!"
They also shouted, "We are unstoppable, another world is possible!"
\u201cOh and they\u2019re not moving. #COP25\u201d— Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f (@Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f) 1576055982
"World leaders have left us no choice," said 14-year-old Alexandria Villasenor of New York about the sit-in.
U.N. security threatened to "de-badge" the activists unless they left the stage.
\u201cSecurity is trying to clear the stage at #COP25 but youth from over a dozen countries just started a sit in!\u201d— Jamie Henn (@Jamie Henn) 1576056055
The action took place after a plenary that included speeches from teen activist and newly-minted Time Person of the Year Greta Thunberg of Sweden and youth climate activist Hilda Flavia Nakabuye of Uganda.
"I am the voice of dying children, misplaced women, and people suffering at the hands of the climate crisis created by rich countries," Nakabuye told the audience.
Reacting to the sit-in, author and climate act Bill McKibben said on Twitter, "Time for negotiators to face the people whose lives they are negotiating away."
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
This story may be updated.
Young activists took over and occupied the main stage at the COP 25 climate conference in Madrid, Spain Wednesday and demanded world leaders commit to far more ambitious action to address the ecological emergency.
\u201cHappening now: Youth activists from all around the world storm the stage at #COP25 to demand real climate action! Dear leaders, your empty words will not solve this crisis. #YourVoteOurFuture\u201d— Fridays for Future Germany (@Fridays for Future Germany) 1576056380
"Nobody has ever done an action like this before," said youth climate striker Dylan Hamilton of Scotland, "the times are changing."
Video posted by Brussels-based climate activist Damien Thomson shows protesters with Fridays for Future walking onto the stage and siting down. The group's chants included, "What do we want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now!"
They also shouted, "We are unstoppable, another world is possible!"
\u201cOh and they\u2019re not moving. #COP25\u201d— Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f (@Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f) 1576055982
"World leaders have left us no choice," said 14-year-old Alexandria Villasenor of New York about the sit-in.
U.N. security threatened to "de-badge" the activists unless they left the stage.
\u201cSecurity is trying to clear the stage at #COP25 but youth from over a dozen countries just started a sit in!\u201d— Jamie Henn (@Jamie Henn) 1576056055
The action took place after a plenary that included speeches from teen activist and newly-minted Time Person of the Year Greta Thunberg of Sweden and youth climate activist Hilda Flavia Nakabuye of Uganda.
"I am the voice of dying children, misplaced women, and people suffering at the hands of the climate crisis created by rich countries," Nakabuye told the audience.
Reacting to the sit-in, author and climate act Bill McKibben said on Twitter, "Time for negotiators to face the people whose lives they are negotiating away."
This story may be updated.
Young activists took over and occupied the main stage at the COP 25 climate conference in Madrid, Spain Wednesday and demanded world leaders commit to far more ambitious action to address the ecological emergency.
\u201cHappening now: Youth activists from all around the world storm the stage at #COP25 to demand real climate action! Dear leaders, your empty words will not solve this crisis. #YourVoteOurFuture\u201d— Fridays for Future Germany (@Fridays for Future Germany) 1576056380
"Nobody has ever done an action like this before," said youth climate striker Dylan Hamilton of Scotland, "the times are changing."
Video posted by Brussels-based climate activist Damien Thomson shows protesters with Fridays for Future walking onto the stage and siting down. The group's chants included, "What do we want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now!"
They also shouted, "We are unstoppable, another world is possible!"
\u201cOh and they\u2019re not moving. #COP25\u201d— Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f (@Damien T\ud83d\udd3b\ud83c\udf3f) 1576055982
"World leaders have left us no choice," said 14-year-old Alexandria Villasenor of New York about the sit-in.
U.N. security threatened to "de-badge" the activists unless they left the stage.
\u201cSecurity is trying to clear the stage at #COP25 but youth from over a dozen countries just started a sit in!\u201d— Jamie Henn (@Jamie Henn) 1576056055
The action took place after a plenary that included speeches from teen activist and newly-minted Time Person of the Year Greta Thunberg of Sweden and youth climate activist Hilda Flavia Nakabuye of Uganda.
"I am the voice of dying children, misplaced women, and people suffering at the hands of the climate crisis created by rich countries," Nakabuye told the audience.
Reacting to the sit-in, author and climate act Bill McKibben said on Twitter, "Time for negotiators to face the people whose lives they are negotiating away."