From Carbondale in the south to Galena near our northern border, and the communities of Champaign-Urbana, Charleston-Mattoon, and Decatur downstate, the people of Illinois participated in Rise for Climate events on September 7th and 8th. The mobilizations included environmental, faith, student, social justice, and labor organizations and were part of a nationwide climate campaign led by the People’s Climate Movement.
“Illinois’ Future Energy Jobs Act has laid the groundwork for a just transition to a renewable energy economy for all. Sept 8th Rise for Climate actions gave downstate communities an opportunity to tell our leaders that clean, renewable energy is what we want and need despite the damaging policies from the US Administration,” said Prairie Rivers Network organizer, Amanda Pankau.
Carbondale came together on September 7th to view a new Sierra Club documentary “Reinventing Power” which highlights the notion that we don’t have to sacrifice jobs for a clean environment. A clean energy forum followed the documentary screening where speakers and businesses shared their experiences as solar migrants and promoters of clean energy and clean jobs. Carbondale environmental groups then joined social justice group Women for Change at their annual Unity March on September 8th.
In Champaign-Urbana and Decatur, marches and rallies were forced inside do to Saturday’s heavy rains. In Champaign, groups and leaders shared information about local issues such as the Mahomet aquifer, the coal ash pollution of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, coal mining, solar energy opportunities, and fracking.
Decatur’s planned march was the first of its kind in the area and was organized by Sustain Our Natural Areas, part of the Macon County Community Environmental Council.
The Galena event organized by Galena Green Team and others included an Electric Vehicle Showcase and an Eco-Expo.
Coles Progressives hosted a family-friendly Rise for Climate event entitled “Power our Planet” at the Douglas-Hart Nature Center in Mattoon. Annalisa Switzer, an organizer of the Coles County event, shared why the mobilization was important to their community, “We rise for climate to stop new coal extraction, bring clean, sustainable energy to our area, and to awaken our community to the impact of the climate crisis.”
Many of the communities and organizations plan to continue their climate work by participating in voter registration efforts and by hosting Clean Energy Community Conversations with the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. The statewide conversations are an effort to encourage Illinois to embrace a policy framework built around cleaner, more affordable energy, leading to economic benefits for people across the state and new jobs for communities that need them the most.
5 Actions for Climate Justice
On September 8th, communities across Illinois and the world came together to “Rise for Climate Jobs and Justice.” Together, we showed our power, and with a collective voice we called on leaders to step up and take bold action on climate. Our work doesn’t stop here; we must turn those moments into a movement that will carry us forward to November and beyond.
So, what’s next? Here are 5 ACTIONS you can take to keep up the momentum in fighting for climate, jobs, and justice.
