Across the globe, young people are overwhelmingly concerned about the potential impact of climate change.
– that's the future today's young climate change activists are fighting to avoid. But many say it's an even more difficult struggle than they imagined.
Multiple young activists told USA TODAY they're motivated to keep moving forward, but the challenges and distractions keep piling up. Some worry that the frustration could one day turn to apathy. Julie Sifuentes, of the Oregon Health Authority’s health and climate team, said there’s a tendency to uplift youth voices within the climate movement. This practice, she said, has its benefits – and its downsides.published in June, Sifuentes said many told her they feel a sense of responsibility in addressing climate change. They often feel society has put the onus on youth to fix environmental issues caused by previous generations.“It is so much more urgent than that,” Sifuentes said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, organizers in positions of privilege have been more likely to stay involved in climate work, while marginalized activists have been forced to navigate the compounding effects of COVID-19 on their lives. “A lot of the time, our representatives, they're not really looking forward,” said Maya Hidalgo, 18, of Bloomington, Minnesota, who has tackled a wide range of projects, including statewide efforts to standardize climate justice education.
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