By Gary Cuneen COP27 President and Foreign Minister of Egypt Sameh Shoukry in the COP27 opening plenary stated that nations must move from pledges and promises to meaningful action; an equitable and just energy transition with funding is overdue; current geopolitical challenges must not derail or delay action to meet climate targets; and loss and […]
COP27 November 6th Dispatch: It’s Compli
By Gary Cuneen It’s an odd experience being here in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt – a gorgeous coastal beach resort at the bottom of the Sinai Peninsula by the Red Sea – and attending the 27th Conference of Parties (COP) UN Climate Summit. Over 100 heads of state and just shy of 200 countries are descending […]
From the Mideast to the Midwest: Chicago...
Oak Park, IL – Chicagoland environmental nonprofit Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) is taking their climate advocacy international again this year. Five Chicago area students and one teacher who are part of SGA’s youth climate advocacy program, It’s Our Future (IOF), are headed to Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt for this year’s UN Climate Summit, COP27. Gary Cuneen, […]
Meet our COP27 Delegates!
It’s that time of year again! We’re headed to this year’s UN Climate Summit, COP27, in early November, and we’re bringing a great crew! Five Chicagoland students representing It’s Our Future, and one Chicago teacher, will travel to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to observe the climate negotiations and report back. Get to know this fantastic team […]
It’s Their Future: Farewell, IOF Seniors
IOF Seniors with the delegate from Tongva at COP26 The 5 students who attended COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland have graduated from high school and from It’s Our Future! We are so proud of their accomplishments and grateful for their voices in this important work. Sophie Ball will be studying International Relations at King’s College in […]
Youth Climate Activists Talk Suing the G...
Drive less, support climate-conscious political candidates, and… sue the U.S. government? That’s exactly what the climate activists featured in the film YOUTH v GOV have done. The documentary film, directed by Christi Cooper, follows the story of 21 youth climate activists who sued the U.S. government for endangering their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and […]
OPRF Student Launching Earth Day Strike ...
As the climate continues to heat up, young people around the world continue to mobilize. Just months after returning from last year’s UN Climate Summit (COP26), Jelena Collins is taking what she learned there to the streets. Collins is an It’s Our Future (IOF) student at Oak Park River Forest High School. This Earth Day, […]
Youth Activists Speak Out at COP26 – Liv
This year’s UN Climate Summit (COP26) in Glasgow arrived with much anticipation and urgency. In the wake of the latest IPCC report, which was described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a “code red” for humanity, many have argued that this is the most consequential global climate conference of our lifetimes. It is against this […]
IOF Youth Dispatch – Fighting for the Fu
I began my day not with going to the Blue Zone for the UN climate change conference as I have done each day before, but instead by walking over to Kelvingrove Park to be a part of the highly anticipated climate strike organized by Fridays For Future. When I arrived, the protest was already ginormous. […]
Al Gore Brings More Inconvenient Truths ...
Al Gore Should Be Knighted Al Gore in front of a packed house in the heads of states plenary room at COP26 just gave the best talk I’ve heard on any subject – hands down. For 45 minutes non-stop with rapid fire graphics, videos and script-less details on extreme weather events across the world and […]