Former Vice President Joe Biden was recently projected to be the next President of the United States.
These results have the power to impact not only US policy and culture, but also international policy and global climate change mitigation.
President Donald Trump favors subsidies for fossil fuel giants in coal and gas, while time is running out in the race to lessen the worst effects of climate change. He creates a culture of climate denialism within the US and encourages destructive policies abroad.
Former Vice President Joe Biden does not promise the aggressive decarbonization strategy we need, but he offers some semblance of a policy that protects the health and safety of the planet and people both domestic and abroad.
Youth votes were a large part of the 2020 election falling in Biden’s favor. Historically, young people fail to vote. Not even half of eligible voters ages 18-29 voted in the 2016 US presidential election - and it’s not just the USA. Young people seem to vote less than older generations across the globe. Researchers have theorized that this may be due to distrust in our political systems, or a lack of knowledge about the system. (1 ,2 , 3 ,4)
This year, things are different.
Young people voted in record numbers. According to Forbes, 63% of young people said that they were “definitely voting” in the November election, compared with 47% in 2016. This aligns with the research on early voting thus far. Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), reports: “In every state we're tracking, the youth share of the early vote is higher than in 2016, and in eight states youth have already cast more votes than the 2016 presidential margin of victory.”
“[M]ore than half of Americans are millennials or younger, and they now make up 37 percent of the eligible voting population (more than *ever* before). In fact, the data shows this demo is just as large as eligible voters in the Baby Boomer and older generations, which could make electoral power more evenly distributed.”
The past few years have been particularly difficult for young people. In the United States, we face higher college debt, heightened anxiety about the existential threat of climate change, important life events and education disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a civil rights crisis, and a crippled economy with limited job opportunities. For these reasons and more, youth understand there needs to be change.
All of this is happening as Fridays for Future, Sunrise, Zero Hour, and other youth organizations gain national and international attention.
Social media is also working to turn out a youth vote. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are each running their own voter registration and voter information campaigns. Similarly, individual users and celebrities have been encouraging their viewers to head to the polls or turn in their ballots.
These examples of youth leadership and mobilization are why we are calling decision-makers and policy makers to listen and involve youth in political campaigns. Youth have proven they are knowledgeable and driven to fight for significant causes, so why is it that there are so few instances of youth consultation? (1)
As we gear up for a transition of power in the United States, from Trump to Biden, we must continue to hold our elected officials - both at the highest level and at local and regional levels - accountable. They are responsible for maintaining a healthy future for our planet and for young people.
As of November 4, according to United Nations rules, the United States has officially withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement. The hard work starts now.
We must urge President-elect Biden to:
Rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and begin to rekindle collaborations with other nations
Instate federal protection for significant lands, such as Bears Ears and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Bring the USA to ratify the UN International Treaty for Convention of Biological Diversity
Re-establish environmental agency to address backlog for federal protected lands
Rejoin the World Health Institute
Commit to neutralization, specifically working against violent and destructive use of weapons in war
Honor the role of Native American tribal governments in protecting the nation’s natural resources
Believe in science, and work ambitiously
Connection of U.S. Elections and Global Climate and Nature Policy
Who the U.S. president is directly correlates to how the US interacts with other countries.
As of November 4, according to United Nations rules, the United States has officially withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement.
One of Presidential Candidate Biden’s promises is that “a Biden Administration will rejoin it,” starting day one in office.
For more information on how the winners of United States Presidential Elections are determined, please head over to the Youth4Nature USA Team’s blog post on How the US Elections Work.
More reading:
This blog was written and submitted by Y4N’s USA regional working group, including Emma Thorton, Hannah Johns and Sara Babcock.