Festive. And loud. That was the mood and volume at the 2023 One Earth Film Festival kick-off party Friday night as whistles, cheers, applause and cowbell noisemakers delivered on this year’s theme, “Let’s Get Loud!”
The 12th annual festival roared back to a fully in-person event, while filmmakers, whose works are featured selections this year, joined via Zoom and were projected on a large screen for everyone to see.
The film Youth v Gov is the story of Juliana v. United States, the legal case filed by Our Children’s Trust in 2015. In Juliana, 21 plaintiffs from 9 states sued the U.S. government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, personal safety, and property. Their claim is that through its willful actions, the U.S. government has created and is continuing to create the climate crisis these young people will inherit.
We are excited to announce that the theme for the 2023 festival is "Let's Get Loud!" This theme is inspired by the words of Dr. Katherine Hayhoe, a renowned climate scientist who has said that the most important thing we can do to fight climate change is to talk about it. We believe that by raising our voices and spreading awareness about the urgent need to address the climate crisis, we can discuss actions-based solutions, and create real and lasting change.
Representatives from nearly 200 countries will attend the “Conference of the Parties,” or COP27, November 6-18, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This is the 27th time since 1992 that world nations have gathered to collaborate on global action to fight climate change. Our window for action is shrinking. We really need everyone—elected leaders, corporations, community organizations and individuals—to commit to doing the most we can, as quickly as we can. COP27 is an important symbol of that collaboration.
Sharm El-Sheikh is a beautiful resort town in a country with a dubious grasp on human rights, a fitting mix of hope and despair. Can something productive come out of this conference?
As bad news about climate change continues to frequent the headlines, it can feel hopeless. What could we, a single household, possibly do to make a meaningful contribution to such a huge, global problem? Should we recycle more? Stop eating meat? Stop using plastic bags?
We’re often told these kinds of actions help. But if we step back and look at the bigger picture, it becomes clear that these kinds of efficiency and lifestyle changes won’t be enough. Climate scientists and the UN have told us we need to get to net zero emissions by 2050. Is there anything more we could possibly be doing to ensure a more sustainable future for our kids?
On November 5, five students from the Chicago area youth-driven advocacy group It’s Our Future (IOF) will fly to Egypt to take part in COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh. It's Our Future, a program developed by Seven Generations Ahead and supported by One Earth Collective along with other partners, connects youth climate activists and empowers them to advocate for climate solutions in their schools and communities, and for a healthy livable future for all.
If you, like me, don’t know much about how a young person gets to go on a trip like this, you’re in luck, because I had the great pleasure of discussing these matters with two students who will be going—Tori Evans and Emmet Ebels-Duggan.
