Global gathering to unleash new wave of climate activism

A new global event aims to unify action on climate change and is calling for young environmental leaders to get behind the cause

More than 500 young environmental leaders from around the world will meet next year for Global Power Shift, an event that campaign group 350 hopes will be a crucial turning point for action on climate change.

Taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, from 10-17 June 2013, the gathering will give participants an opportunity to meet others, share skills and stories, train in grassroots and digital organising and prepare a strategy for what 350 describes as the “next phase of the global climate movement.”

Following the event, it is hoped that delegates will spread the message further in their home countries.

“After leaving Turkey, young leaders will fan out across the world to catalyse powerful national movements calling for bold climate action. Through a series of national summits and training programmes, they will unleash a new wave of climate activism,” said Will Bates, global campaigns director and co-founder of 350.

The Power Shift campaign was first established in the United States in 2007. There have since been Power Shift movements across the world in Russia, Australia, Canada the UK and other European countries, but this is the first time that the campaign has had a global gathering.

“While we’ve made inspiring progress, nothing we’ve done so far as a movement has been quite large enough. That’s the hard truth. To take on this planetary climate crisis, we need to create truly transformative change,” said Bates.

The deadline for applications to attend the event is 16 December 2012.