this is my 4 year old cousin Nathaniel he’s a silly guy who loves to play and
he’s a silly guy who loves to play and
he’s a silly guy who loves to play and wrestle he’s happiest when he’s running
wrestle he’s happiest when he’s running
wrestle he’s happiest when he’s running around outside usually in his pajamas he
around outside usually in his pajamas he
around outside usually in his pajamas he hasn’t learned about climate change yet
hasn’t learned about climate change yet
hasn’t learned about climate change yet he doesn’t know that the future of this
he doesn’t know that the future of this
he doesn’t know that the future of this amazing planet is uncertain I’m hopeful
amazing planet is uncertain I’m hopeful
amazing planet is uncertain I’m hopeful that when Nathaniel is my age which
that when Nathaniel is my age which
that when Nathaniel is my age which isn’t that long from now there will be a
isn’t that long from now there will be a
isn’t that long from now there will be a different story to tell about how we’re
different story to tell about how we’re
different story to tell about how we’re caring for the earth all the news about
caring for the earth all the news about
caring for the earth all the news about extreme weather is scary right I’m
extreme weather is scary right I’m
extreme weather is scary right I’m scared
scared
scared when I ask people about it the reactions
when I ask people about it the reactions
when I ask people about it the reactions are usually somewhere between feeling
are usually somewhere between feeling
are usually somewhere between feeling depressed and even hoping that it’s not
depressed and even hoping that it’s not
depressed and even hoping that it’s not really happening but climate researchers
really happening but climate researchers
really happening but climate researchers at Yale University did a study recently
at Yale University did a study recently
at Yale University did a study recently showing that people are much more likely
showing that people are much more likely
showing that people are much more likely to take action when they feel hopeful
to take action when they feel hopeful
to take action when they feel hopeful when we’re scared or overwhelmed we are
when we’re scared or overwhelmed we are
when we’re scared or overwhelmed we are not motivated to action hope leads to
not motivated to action hope leads to
not motivated to action hope leads to action my passion for action on climate
action my passion for action on climate
action my passion for action on climate change
change
change started with an armored leopard when I
started with an armored leopard when I
started with an armored leopard when I was 6 years old
was 6 years old
was 6 years old I fell in love with this cat Ussuri who
I fell in love with this cat Ussuri who
I fell in love with this cat Ussuri who lived at the Franklin Park Zoo and I
lived at the Franklin Park Zoo and I
lived at the Franklin Park Zoo and I learned that 99% of endangered species
learned that 99% of endangered species
learned that 99% of endangered species are at risk because of climate change
are at risk because of climate change
are at risk because of climate change and other human impacts 99% so I decided
and other human impacts 99% so I decided
and other human impacts 99% so I decided to get involved by starting a hot
to get involved by starting a hot
to get involved by starting a hot chocolate stand and giving all of my
chocolate stand and giving all of my
chocolate stand and giving all of my profits to saving animals this is me and
profits to saving animals this is me and
profits to saving animals this is me and that was just the beginning what I’ve
that was just the beginning what I’ve
that was just the beginning what I’ve learned in 10 years of climate activism
learned in 10 years of climate activism
learned in 10 years of climate activism is that this is an exciting time to be
is that this is an exciting time to be
is that this is an exciting time to be alive and that we have to be hopeful
alive and that we have to be hopeful
alive and that we have to be hopeful about the future so now as a 16 year old
about the future so now as a 16 year old
about the future so now as a 16 year old with my whole life in front of me here
with my whole life in front of me here
with my whole life in front of me here are four reasons why I’m hopeful first
are four reasons why I’m hopeful first
are four reasons why I’m hopeful first I’m hopeful because change happens when
I’m hopeful because change happens when
I’m hopeful because change happens when we’re connected
we’re connected
we’re connected when I was in Paris as a youth
when I was in Paris as a youth
when I was in Paris as a youth representative at cop21 the United
representative at cop21 the United
representative at cop21 the United Nations NGO climate conference I met
Nations NGO climate conference I met
Nations NGO climate conference I met people from all over the world Prime
people from all over the world Prime
people from all over the world Prime Minister’s from small island nations
Minister’s from small island nations
Minister’s from small island nations indigenous leaders who taught us about
indigenous leaders who taught us about
indigenous leaders who taught us about honoring and respecting the earth and
honoring and respecting the earth and
honoring and respecting the earth and climate activists who had ridden their
climate activists who had ridden their
climate activists who had ridden their bikes to Paris all the way from Vietnam
bikes to Paris all the way from Vietnam
bikes to Paris all the way from Vietnam yeah that’s possible the energy and
yeah that’s possible the energy and
yeah that’s possible the energy and power of this gathering and others I’ve
power of this gathering and others I’ve
power of this gathering and others I’ve been a part of give me hope
been a part of give me hope
been a part of give me hope like when almost half a million of us
like when almost half a million of us
like when almost half a million of us marched in New York City for climate
marched in New York City for climate
marched in New York City for climate justice the course of history changes
justice the course of history changes
justice the course of history changes when we’re connected and when we come
when we’re connected and when we come
when we’re connected and when we come together second I’m hopeful because the
together second I’m hopeful because the
together second I’m hopeful because the change we need is possible the
change we need is possible the
change we need is possible the International Energy Agency estimates
International Energy Agency estimates
International Energy Agency estimates that governments are granting more than
that governments are granting more than
that governments are granting more than 500 billion dollars a year in subsidies
500 billion dollars a year in subsidies
500 billion dollars a year in subsidies to fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil
to fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil
to fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and BP that means your tax money is
and BP that means your tax money is
and BP that means your tax money is paying for pollution can you imagine
paying for pollution can you imagine
paying for pollution can you imagine putting that money to work to stop
putting that money to work to stop
putting that money to work to stop climate change instead listen to what
climate change instead listen to what
climate change instead listen to what can happen China just installed this
can happen China just installed this
can happen China just installed this floating solar array the size of 160
floating solar array the size of 160
floating solar array the size of 160 football fields at a price of only forty
football fields at a price of only forty
football fields at a price of only forty five million dollars you could build
five million dollars you could build
five million dollars you could build more than 11,000 solar arrays that size
more than 11,000 solar arrays that size
more than 11,000 solar arrays that size for the same 500 billion dollars every
for the same 500 billion dollars every
for the same 500 billion dollars every year think about that with enough
year think about that with enough
year think about that with enough sunlight hitting the earth every 15
sunlight hitting the earth every 15
sunlight hitting the earth every 15 minutes to meet global energy demand for
minutes to meet global energy demand for
minutes to meet global energy demand for a year the solution is right up in the
a year the solution is right up in the
a year the solution is right up in the sky there’s a green revolution happening
sky there’s a green revolution happening
sky there’s a green revolution happening around the world Costa Rica got 99
around the world Costa Rica got 99
around the world Costa Rica got 99 percent of its energy from renewables
percent of its energy from renewables
percent of its energy from renewables last year Denmark will soon be getting
last year Denmark will soon be getting
last year Denmark will soon be getting half its energy from wind guess who
half its energy from wind guess who
half its energy from wind guess who doesn’t want you to know about this
doesn’t want you to know about this
doesn’t want you to know about this Green Revolution the fossil fuel
Green Revolution the fossil fuel
Green Revolution the fossil fuel industry for them it’s all about profit
industry for them it’s all about profit
industry for them it’s all about profit they only make money if we keep burning
they only make money if we keep burning
they only make money if we keep burning coal oil and gas instead of using clean
coal oil and gas instead of using clean
coal oil and gas instead of using clean energy like solar and wind
energy like solar and wind
energy like solar and wind the truth is we have the money and the
the truth is we have the money and the
the truth is we have the money and the technology to solve this problem and
technology to solve this problem and
technology to solve this problem and solve it now
third I’m hopeful because we are
third I’m hopeful because we are powerful we can all take action and I’ve
powerful we can all take action and I’ve
powerful we can all take action and I’ve found that when we act we feel hopeful I
found that when we act we feel hopeful I
found that when we act we feel hopeful I work on this issue all the time I
work on this issue all the time I
work on this issue all the time I started an organization and I’ve trained
started an organization and I’ve trained
started an organization and I’ve trained more than 2,000 young people on how to
more than 2,000 young people on how to
more than 2,000 young people on how to make a difference in their communities
make a difference in their communities
make a difference in their communities and I still sometimes get caught up in
and I still sometimes get caught up in
and I still sometimes get caught up in the day-to-day pressure of life and
the day-to-day pressure of life and
the day-to-day pressure of life and forget how important this work really is
forget how important this work really is
forget how important this work really is but when I’m doing something like
but when I’m doing something like
but when I’m doing something like testifying at a City Council hearing on
testifying at a City Council hearing on
testifying at a City Council hearing on green energy or volunteering at the zoo
green energy or volunteering at the zoo
green energy or volunteering at the zoo I remember so don’t let anyone tell you
I remember so don’t let anyone tell you
I remember so don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make a difference
that you can’t make a difference
that you can’t make a difference everything we do to reduce our carbon
everything we do to reduce our carbon
everything we do to reduce our carbon footprint planting a garden or a tree
footprint planting a garden or a tree
footprint planting a garden or a tree hanging your clothes instead of using
hanging your clothes instead of using
hanging your clothes instead of using the dryer taking public transportation
the dryer taking public transportation
the dryer taking public transportation it all makes a difference because it all
it all makes a difference because it all
it all makes a difference because it all reminds us that we are powerful I made a
reminds us that we are powerful I made a
reminds us that we are powerful I made a choice to become a vegetarian when I was
choice to become a vegetarian when I was
choice to become a vegetarian when I was seven because it was something I could
seven because it was something I could
seven because it was something I could do I learned about the resources it
do I learned about the resources it
do I learned about the resources it takes to produce meat did you know that
takes to produce meat did you know that
takes to produce meat did you know that just skipping one burger saves as much
just skipping one burger saves as much
just skipping one burger saves as much water as you would drink in three years
water as you would drink in three years
water as you would drink in three years anything you can figure out to do that
anything you can figure out to do that
anything you can figure out to do that gets you out of the dread and inertia
gets you out of the dread and inertia
gets you out of the dread and inertia and moves you into action is worth doing
and moves you into action is worth doing
and moves you into action is worth doing and if you can get others at your school
and if you can get others at your school
and if you can get others at your school at your workplace or in your community
at your workplace or in your community
at your workplace or in your community to join you you’ll make an even bigger
to join you you’ll make an even bigger
to join you you’ll make an even bigger difference that’s how change happens
difference that’s how change happens
difference that’s how change happens when we act we feel hopeful and finally
when we act we feel hopeful and finally
when we act we feel hopeful and finally I’m hopeful because I have no other
I’m hopeful because I have no other
I’m hopeful because I have no other choice we’re already seeing serious
choice we’re already seeing serious
choice we’re already seeing serious effects of climate change
effects of climate change
effects of climate change think about the devastating hurricanes
think about the devastating hurricanes
think about the devastating hurricanes and horrific wildfires we’ve seen just
and horrific wildfires we’ve seen just
and horrific wildfires we’ve seen just this fall these disasters are reminders
this fall these disasters are reminders
this fall these disasters are reminders that we don’t have time to wait we’ve
that we don’t have time to wait we’ve
that we don’t have time to wait we’ve never faced a challenge quite like this
never faced a challenge quite like this
never faced a challenge quite like this but we have faced big challenges in the
but we have faced big challenges in the
but we have faced big challenges in the past I want to say to my peers we have
past I want to say to my peers we have
past I want to say to my peers we have the opportunity to be a new Greatest
the opportunity to be a new Greatest
the opportunity to be a new Greatest Generation
Generation
Generation like the one that defeated fascism and
like the one that defeated fascism and
like the one that defeated fascism and rebuilt Europe after World War two or
rebuilt Europe after World War two or
rebuilt Europe after World War two or like those of you who took a stand for
like those of you who took a stand for
like those of you who took a stand for civil rights or for nuclear disarmament
civil rights or for nuclear disarmament
civil rights or for nuclear disarmament or who realized there was a dangerous
or who realized there was a dangerous
or who realized there was a dangerous hole in the ozone layer and figured out
hole in the ozone layer and figured out
hole in the ozone layer and figured out how to heal it I want to take a moment
how to heal it I want to take a moment
how to heal it I want to take a moment to thank all of you who are part of
to thank all of you who are part of
to thank all of you who are part of those movements all of our lives are
those movements all of our lives are
those movements all of our lives are better because you fought for us
better because you fought for us
better because you fought for us everything you accomplished was only
everything you accomplished was only
everything you accomplished was only possible because you had hope you
possible because you had hope you
possible because you had hope you believed change could happen and you
believed change could happen and you
believed change could happen and you were willing to do whatever it took we
were willing to do whatever it took we
were willing to do whatever it took we need to do it again all of us together
need to do it again all of us together
need to do it again all of us together this is an exciting time to be alive
this is an exciting time to be alive
this is an exciting time to be alive with all of the challenges and
with all of the challenges and
with all of the challenges and opportunities we can do this and when my
opportunities we can do this and when my
opportunities we can do this and when my cousin Nathaniel and I are laughing
cousin Nathaniel and I are laughing
cousin Nathaniel and I are laughing around a campfire with our mouths
around a campfire with our mouths
around a campfire with our mouths stuffed full of marshmallows that’s when
stuffed full of marshmallows that’s when
stuffed full of marshmallows that’s when I know we have to work together for a
I know we have to work together for a
I know we have to work together for a healthy future for our planet so where
healthy future for our planet so where
healthy future for our planet so where do you find hope who would you do
do you find hope who would you do
do you find hope who would you do anything for an armored leopard a child
anything for an armored leopard a child
anything for an armored leopard a child you love what can motivate you to get
you love what can motivate you to get
you love what can motivate you to get involved in this movement hope inspires
involved in this movement hope inspires
involved in this movement hope inspires our work our creativity and our
our work our creativity and our
our work our creativity and our connection to each other so find your
connection to each other so find your
connection to each other so find your source of hope and let’s fight together
source of hope and let’s fight together
source of hope and let’s fight together for our future
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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