CCN @ COP15

Building a Sustainable, Just, and Prosperous Future for All

As youth of the Pacific Northwest, we recognize that the climate crisis we currently face presents the defining challenge of our generation. Solving it is our greatest opportunity.
We fully acknowledge the truth that human activity is rapidly driving the climate crisis, and we accept and embrace the moral responsibility that we must act boldly, decisively, and quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a sustainable, just, and prosperous future for all.
Tackling the climate crisis will require us to break our current reliance on dirty, unsustainable, energy sources and implement a rapid transition to clean, renewable, and locally-generated resources. The technology to begin this transition exists today; all we lack is the political will.
We recognize that this transition will require change at both the individual and societal levels, and are committed to working towards both.
We, the youth of today, make this pledge to future generations: we will end this climate crisis within our lifetimes, because failing to do so is unconscionable; and we pledge to make our vision of a sustainable, just, and prosperous tomorrow a reality.
We refuse to let the climate crisis continue and we pledge to hold ourselves and our elected representatives accountable. We therefore present these principals which should guide us in our transition:

1. Real solutions, like energy efficiency and renewable energy, are sustainable and just.
2. False solutions, like LNG, “clean” coal, and nuclear power, prevent us from building a sustainable, just, and prosperous future.
3. We value community-based solutions.
   
4. We believe humans are indivisible from the Earth.
5. Educational institutions should be models and leaders in the transition to a sustainable, just, and prosperous energy future.

Following from the principles listed above, we believe our region must take the following immediate actions to begin a healthy response to the climate crisis. In particular, we seek commitments from current decision- makers to work towards implementing these immediate actions:

1. Commit to prioritizing energy efficiency and conservation measures.
2. Commit to providing strong support for the development of clean, renewable, local, and just energy resources to meet our region’s remaining energy needs.
3. Commit to immediately halt all new fossil fuel infrastructure development projects to serve our region’s energy needs.
4. Commit to immediately begin phasing out the importation of fossil fuels into the Pacific Northwest.
5. Commit to adequately funding educational institutions as centers to train, empower, and otherwise prepare youth and community members for their roles in the transition to a sustainable, just, and prosperous future for all.