Editor’s note: The summit is over, but you can watch recorded video from the Global Climate Action Summit streamed online.
Earth has many friends. Earthlings have participated in many marches. This week in San Francisco and around the world, citizens will band together at the Global Climate Action Summit to turn their love of the Earth into the power to change climate policy. The event has already catalyzed marches, but there will be a lot of action behind the scenes to learn from and share with your community.
Here’s our rundown of how to participate, watch remotely, and share the word about a global event. According to environmental writer Bill McKibben, San Francisco demonstrations for the climate have taken over newspaper front pages already.
Watch Live
You don’t have to wait for reports from the Global Climate Action Summit. A live stream of the event starts on Thursday, September 13 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time and continues through Friday. You can watch Robert Redford’s National Geographic presentation, hear the prime ministers of Barbados and Fiji speak about rising oceans from the perspective of island nations that will be most affected first, and an entire two days’ worth of worthwhile ideas from government, corporate, and nonprofit leaders.
Drop In
In addition to the main event in San Francisco, there will be hundreds of related events, from tours of sustainable buildings, performances, and workshops to business and academic presentations on a wide range of topics, including kickstarting movements for cleaner air and alternative energy. These events will take place all over the city and generally require a RSVP through Eventbrite. (See all the Climate Action Summit events.)
One of Earth911’s frequent podcast guests, Peter Fiekowsky of the Healthy Climate Alliance, will present a plan for launching a carbon capture initiative that brings government, companies, and investors together to return the climate to the carbon dioxide levels our grandparents enjoyed. You can join the discussion with Fiekowsky; Leslie Field, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Ice911; Brent Constantz, founder and CEO of Blue Planet, the first company to reach commercial concrete production using carbon pulled from the atmosphere; and moderator Marianna Grossman, managing partner of climate change investment firm Minerva Ventures. You may come away from the event part of a revolution!
March & Network!
There will be marches in cities around the world on Saturday, September 15. Look for events near you to join in person. If you’re looking for a posse to march with, here are a few options:
- Interfaith Power & Light
- Peoples Climate Movement
- Rise for Climate (Sept. 8 was the kick-off event for this week’s activities and Rise for Climate has numerous projects to join.)
- Indigenous Environmental
To stay current on changing schedules and events all over the world, watch the Global Climate Action Summit Facebook page.
The online demonstration will be critical, too. Join the discussion. Share photos of the march or events you attend. Send invitations to friends who will join you in marching.
Here are some of the hashtags to look for and use in your social networks:
Step out for the planet this weekend and make a difference. Hundreds of thousands of voices can overwhelm the resistance to change if we all demand dialogue about the future in which we and our children, grandchildren, and countless generations will live.