New Report Confirms We're Almost out of Time to Avoid Climate Catastrophe

Young people on strike demanding action towards reducing environmental impact. Source: Instagram.

These Gen Z'ers are Doing Everything they can to Save Us

The fate of our planet is hanging in the balance, warns the latest United Nations report released March 20th, 2022. It took more than six years and the contributions of thousands of dedicated climate scientists to arrive at a sobering conclusion: the chance to secure a livable future for everyone on Earth is slipping away.

The clock is ticking, and the window of opportunity to save our planet is rapidly closing.


Previous reports detailed the irreversible changes already underway due to climate change, such as rising sea levels, warming oceans, and shifts in food availability.

But we aren’t out of hope just yet. The latest report suggests that the technology needed to adapt to climate change and reduce harmful emissions is readily available. It outlines a clear path to a more sustainable world and a stable climate. The key now is to mainstream effective and equitable climate action.

Scientists have highlighted the threats posed by heat waves, the spread of infectious diseases, and other concerns, but also presented potential solutions, including shifting to renewable energy and halting the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure.

According to IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee, "If we act now, we can still secure a liveable, sustainable future for all." Taking action to reduce losses and damages to nature and people will benefit the environment and have a ripple effect across society.

So who is meeting the challenges head-on in order to achieve a sustainable world for ourselves and future generations?

How BIPOC Youth Are Taking the Lead in Climate Activism

BIPOC communities are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. From living in areas that are more vulnerable to extreme weather events to breathing poor air quality that worsens respiratory illnesses, these groups are bearing the brunt of environmental change.

Existing inequalities, such as access to healthcare and education, are only worsened by the impact of the environment. It's a multi-layered issue that requires attention and immediate action to create lasting change.

“[Climate justice] is often a white-led movement—even though it should be the minorities and BIPOC folks on the frontline,” youth leader Diana Fernandez said. “They’re the ones impacted by the environment the most.”

Of course, Greta Thunberg is a household name as a sustainability leader, but many young BIPOC environmental activists are also leading the charge against climate change and advocating for environmental justice, often using social media platforms to amplify their message, raise awareness, and mobilize people around the world to take action against climate change.

Mari Copeny, also known as "Little Miss Flint," has been an advocate for clean water in Flint, Michigan, since the age of eight. Mari first gained national attention in 2016 when she wrote a letter to President Barack Obama, inviting him to visit her hometown and see firsthand the devastating effects of the city's water crisis.

Since then, Mari has been a tireless advocate for clean water and environmental justice, working alongside organizations such as the Women's March, Sierra Club, and Climate Justice Alliance. Through her activism, Mari has raised awareness about the environmental issues plaguing her community, while advocating for policy changes that prioritize the needs of marginalized communities.

Another powerful voice for clean water and environmental justice is Autumn Peltier, a young Indigenous activist hailing from Wiikwemkoong First Nation in northern Ontario, Canada. Autumn began advocating for clean water in her community at the age of eight and has since become a leading advocate for water issues in Canada and around the world.

Autumn has spoken at the United Nations General Assembly and other high-profile forums to raise awareness about the importance of clean water and advocate for Indigenous rights. In 2019, she was appointed as the Chief Water Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation, where she works to protect the water rights of Indigenous communities across Canada. She has also been involved in various initiatives to address environmental issues and promote sustainability, including advocating for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Young Mexican-Chilean climate activist Xiye Bastida from San Pedro Tultepec, Mexico, witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of climate change, including droughts and flooding that threatened the livelihoods of her community.

Determined to take action, Xiye became a powerful advocate for environmental justice and climate action. She joined the Fridays for Future movement, started by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and has since spoken at various forums and conferences, including the United Nations Climate Action Summit.

Her message of urgency and action has been featured in major media outlets around the world, inspiring young people everywhere to join the fight for a more sustainable future, and her dedication and leadership have not gone unnoticed - in 2018, she received the prestigious "Spirit of the UN" award for her environmental advocacy work.

Through their activism, these young leaders are not only raising awareness about the impacts of climate change but also advocating for environmental justice and policy changes that prioritize the needs of marginalized communities.

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).