[Sust-mar] launch of Canadian Youth Climate Coalition

[Paul Falvo]

          		   PRESS RELEASE
           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                    Sept. 11, 2006


Canadian Youth Challenge the Feds


(Toronto) – A three day summit held this weekend at the University of
Toronto brought together over 50 young leaders from organizations across the
country, resulting in the launch of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.
This national, non-partisan group aims to stress the urgency of the climate
crisis as a key issue for young Canadians.  In the face of government
inaction, youth are demanding leadership and immediate action.

“It is a very powerful and diverse group of passionate youth there who have
never worked together before,” said Jessica Simpson of the Arctic Indigenous
Alliance. “We could immediately agree on one thing: addressing climate
change should be a priority for our government, for industry, and for ours
and all future generations.”

Organizations represented at the summit came from student societies, private
sector companies, aboriginal and Métis groups, human-rights groups, and
environmental groups. Through passionate debate, negotiation, commitment and
vision, the group worked to define its purpose, goals, structure and
campaigns. Member groups will be starting campaigns as early as September
18, to raise the profile of climate change as the issue of the youth
generation.

Polls show that more than three quarters of Canadians believe we can and
should meet our Kyoto Commitments. “What we want to communicate is that
there are so many innovative solutions, but we need to seize these
opportunities and develop those technologies now,” said Zoë Caron of the
Sierra Youth Coalition. “We’re optimistic, but we need the government and
industry and hear us now and include us in the process of protecting the
health and security of the world we are going to inherit.”

The Canadian Youth Climate Coalition is holding a press conference in the
Nathan Phillips Square of City Hall (northwest corner of Queen and Bay
Streets) at 1:00 pm on Monday, September 11 to announce their next key
actions and to pitch their challenge to the federal government.


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For information, contact:

Mike Hudema, Global Exchange  (415) 828 - 4473
Jessica Simpson, Arctic Indigenous Alliance (867) 873-4715


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