United Nation's Code Red Alert Brings Tampa Youth Climate Activists Together For Rally

TAMPA, FL — It's the term used to indicate an emergency. So, when, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released its sixth assessment report, warning of a “code red for humanity" due to global climate change, teens like Plant High School student Caitlin Hagney took notice.

Hagney and fellow Plant High student Julia Perrigault-Eng could have spent Friday night hanging out with friends, watching the Panthers play football or watching Netflix.

Instead, the two Plant High School students planted themselves in front of Tampa City Hall hoping their sense of concern about the environment will become contagious.

Hagney and Perrigault are the co-founders of Sunrise Plant High School, part of the national Sunrise Movement intent on changing governmental policies that hurt the environment, contribute to global warming and advocate the use of clean-renewable energy.

In response, climate change activists throughout Tampa Bay joined fellow environmentalists around the world in calling for nations to take action.

On Friday, members of Sunrise Plant High School joined Food and Water Action and the Tampa Bay Climate Alliance in a rally at city hall to urge local, state and federal officials to declare a climate emergency, divest from subsidized fossil fuel usage, establish a program to reach net zero emissions, and take any other actions necessary in response to the IPCC's "code red."

Joining them were members of Florida Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality, Action for the Climate Emergency, the Tampa Bay Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Cleo Institute.

"This report calls for acting with an urgency never seen before," said Hagney. "Climate change is not an issue of the future. It is happening here and now. Whenever adults applaud me for taking action at such a young age, I explain to them I don’t have a choice. If we don’t fight now, and don’t enact the legislation we need to cut emissions drastically within the next few years at most, global warming will be what collapses my generation, and my future.”

As part of the national Climate Day of Action Sept. 24, groups in Miami, Tallahassee and Orlando also donned red shirts and held rallies to call attention to the IPCC code red alert.

“As youth, we have the largest stake, and we can no longer be silent,” said Anisa Nanavati, an Action for Climate Emergency organizer. “In Tampa, we are seeing the effects of climate change first hand and the future of our city is at stake. I want a world where my four younger siblings and future generations can enjoy the place that we call home.”

“To learn that our government officials are putting our lives at stake for the sake of profit is disheartening to learn as a teen,” said Perrigault-Eng. “As youth, our voices aren’t represented in the legislation that decides the future of our planet. The time to act is now because the effects of climate change are not slowing down anytime soon. Our politicians must listen to the voices of Generation Z and declare a climate emergency immediately.”

“Tampa Bay climate activists of all ages are proud to stand with the youth as we demand a better future for our communities,” said Brooke Errett, Florida senior organizer with Food & Water Action. “We call on our Rep. Castor to fight for Tampa Bay and stand up to fossil fuel subsidies in the Build Back Better Act. A better future is one that does not pay fossil fuel companies to pollute.”

On Sept. 14, the Plant High School youth joined other climate activists in a rally at the Tampa office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) to support her continued efforts to end fossil fuel subsidies. A staunch opponent of fossil fuel subsidies, Castor will play a crucial role in the decision to continue subsidies as the chairwoman of the Select Committee on Climate Crisis.

American taxpayers currently spend $15 billion each year subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, and the latest bipartisan infrastructure bill includes approximately $25 billion of new subsidies for the industry. The deadline for Congress to vote on the spending package is Thursday at 8 p.m.

"The time for climate symbolism is over — now is our time to act," said Errett. "Our actions today to keep fossil fuels in the ground and cut off taxpayer-funded subsidies, ending the fossil fuel industry's lifeline, will pay dividends for generations to come."

"Ending fossil fuel subsidies means a livable planet for my generation," said Mary-Elizabeth Estrada of the Florida Student Power network. "This industry has spent billions of dollars lobbying for subsidies to actively destroy our planet when they could have been investing in clean, renewable energy for our future."

See related stories:

• Tampa Activists Rally To Urge End To Fossil Fuel Subsidies
• Tampa Groups Ask Castor To Back Bill Ending Fossil Fuel Funding