Giving Compass' Take:

• Student-led climate strikers are only increasing their intensity as they use civil disobedience tactics to make their point about climate action. 

• How are you encouraging youth climate activism? What is the best avenue for donors to provide support?

• Read about the significance of youth-led global feedback. 


A new wave of climate protests hit cities around the world this week—this time aimed at shocking people with civil disobedience, fake blood on the pavement and bodies lying in the streets under signs that read: "Stop funding climate death."

The Extinction Rebellion demonstrations have a harder edge than the student-led climate strikes that have brought millions to their feet around the world demanding leaders do more to slow climate change. While the school climate strikes end with students returning to class, these protests have often led to arrests.

But both show how young people are reinvigorating the social movement for climate action on a scale never seen before, and their organizers plan to keep up the pressure until more is done to slow climate change.

The Extinction Rebellion activists and the school strikers are both decentralized coalitions that are giving young people a way to stand up for their future. Between them, the groups have a long list of school strikes, rallies and acts of civil disobedience planned through the rest of the year, including a major youth climate strike planned for Nov. 29, Black Friday, known for holiday shopping in the United States.

Climate groups in the U.S. are working to channel that youthful energy toward local policy battles, where they see higher chances of success.

In Washington state, young activists have joined a broad coalition pushing for a clean energy transition in the state, fighting for and, in many cases, winning ambitious policy battles, including the state's target to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2045, the strongest clean electricity law in the nation.

"It's not just taking back the White House and the Senate, not just passing federal legislation to address the crisis, but really making sure that we go deep on local ... actions," Toles O'Laughlin said.

Read the full article about youth-led climate strikes by Kristoffer Tigue at InsideClimate News.