HARRISBURG, Pa. — Activists, advocates, and community members came together this past weekend to march to the state capital and demand elected leaders take action to avert the climate crisis.
The Pennsylvania Climate Convergence held its first-ever rally on Saturday, spanning a total of three days. According to the organization, the goal of the event was to demand that Gov. Tom Wolf, lawmakers, regulators, and other state officials step up and take action to lead our state on climate.
Karen Feridun, co-founder of Better Path Coalition, claims that the time to take action is now.
"We have seen evidence of climate change and its effects over and over now, summer after summer, with extreme weather events and terrible natural disasters...it was worth it for us to come here during a pandemic to send that message because we're just literally, literally running out of time," Feridun said.
The organization hand-delivered a petition to the governor's office, legislators, and elected officials on the final day of the event.
"We need them to set us on the right path, not continue us down the wrong path," Feridun added.
Frontline communities, grassroots organizers, advocates, artists, and residents spoke out at the event. They touched on a variety of topics including climate justice, false solutions for the climate crisis, and youth climate advocacy.
There also was a festival of art, live music, street theater, and an installation of a six-foot "climate countdown clock" in the East Wing at the capital.
Over 70 climate change organizations partnered with the event organizers to make the three-day rally possible.