On April 29th, 2017, an extraordinary gathering of passionate people emerged in towns and cities across the world to march for climate justice. Over 200,000 marched in Washington, D.C. alone – and tens of thousands marched in 370 sister marches.
The climate crisis is a water crisis. Climate change is the biggest challenge our communities and waterways face, exacerbating pollution, flooding, drought, and lack of access to water.
It is transforming the chemistry of our oceans, the character of our coastlines, and the timing and intensity of rain and snow, leading to dramatic changes around the world and hurting our most vulnerable communities most. And while all this is happening, the Trump administration and its allies in Congress are rigging the system to suit corporate interests and weaken or eliminate our environmental protections – putting our waters, communities, and energy security at risk.
Waterkeepers around the world are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, standing up for their waterways and communities. These issues are plentiful and span across the world:
- Waterkeepers Chesapeake and its 19 Waterkeeper programs are taking on the impacts of sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, superstorms, heat and habitat loss
- California Coastkeeper Alliance is tackling drought in California
- Miami Waterkeeper is battling against rising sea levels that threaten Miami’s infrastructure
- Puget Soundkeeper is standing up for the region’s $270 million oyster industry which is threatened by ocean acidification
- Cook Inletkeeper is monitoring rising stream temperatures that are stressing Alaska’s salmon stocks
- Hann Baykeeper is advocating for the protection of traditional fishing villages in Senegal which are being destroyed by rising seas and storm surges
- Kenya Lake Victoria Waterkeeper is pushing government to invest in climate change adaptation measures to preserve shrinking water supplies and its robust fisheries
- And many more…
Waterkeeper Alliance staff attended marches across the United States in support of our 320 Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates tackling climate change and the communities they represent. Here are some notes from the field:
Washington, DC
The streets of DC were both literally and figuratively hot this past Saturday. You could feel the anger and passion pulsing through the crowd on the 91°F day – a record breaking temperature for DC in April and symbolic of why we marched. Waterkeeper Alliance Executive Director Marc Yaggi spoke at a morning press conference with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Waterkeeper Alliance Trustee Laura Turner Seydel about the importance of climate change to the global water crisis.
As for the success of the rest of the day, we have Waterkeepers Chesapeake to thank. They spent weeks organizing events around the march, including a Sacred Water Ceremony on the banks of the Anacostia River on the eve of the march. At events in the weeks leading up to the march, Potomac Riverkeeper, Patuxent Riverkeeper, and Anacostia Riverkeeper created beautiful totems that stood out among the crowd and created a sea of blue that could be seen from above.
Los Angeles, California – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President
In Los Angeles, people took to the streets for their communities, climate, and clean waterways. Waterkeeper Alliance President Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. showed up for the cause at the Los Angeles March, joining Los Angeles Waterkeeper Bruce Reznik. Kennedy spoke alongside Jane Fonda and community leaders on the dangerous Tesoro oil refinery expansion – currently threatening communities in south LA.
Medford, Oregon – Lesley Adams, Western Regional Coordinator
More than a thousand people gathered in Medford, Oregon for an intersectional demonstration that began with Native American prayer and song. Residents cheered for salmon and jobs in clean energy while loudly criticizing the Jordan Cove gas pipeline that is proposed to export fracked gas from the Rocky Mountains via the Oregon coast.
Portland, Oregon – Katherine Luscher, Support Project Manager
“Welcome to your 100th Day. We will not go away.” An estimated 3,000 people braved the partially sunny day in Portland, Oregon to march in solidarity with the National Peoples Climate Movement in Washington, DC. Over the course of the 2.5-mile route, bands played (including Portland’s UnPresidented Brass Band), signs were carried, songs were sung and chants were, well, chanted.
Oregon Just Transition Alliance (OJTA) held a rally, where speakers – from youth to elders – spoke about the importance of addressing climate change. OJTA is calling on Oregon’s Environmental Justice communities and anyone who stands with people of color and low-income people to join the movements for racial, social, and economic justice as pathways to climate action.
Carbondale, Colorado – Kate Hudson, Western US Advocacy Coordinator
Carbondale, a small town in Western Colorado, did not have a large crowd, but it was a determined and committed one. Signs were made and held proudly above the creator’s head, with declarations such as, “There is no Planet B!” Many parents came with their young children, who really are the ones in the crosshairs of Trump’s rollback of any and all climate action. Today’s society has an obligation to act with consideration of the interests of our future citizens, because if we don’t, who will?
Missoula, Montana – Bart Mihailovich, Affiliate Coordinator
The Peoples Climate Movement: Missoula March and Rally was well attended with hundreds of people making the five-block march up Higgins Ave to a rally space at the old Missoula train depot. A warm sun and a student marching band led the energetic march, which was capped off by numerous short and engaging speeches by area youth working on climate issues; from local high school climate action groups to elementary kids with messages for “their elders.” The Missoula march was amplified by the annual Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Rendezvous that was taking place in Missoula over the weekend and led to several top industry reps from Patagonia, Orvis, Simms and others participating.
Tulsa, Oklahoma – Kelly Hunter Foster, Senior Attorney
“In rain or shine, we will march!” Despite severe weather, the Tulsa Climate March organizers, speakers, and roughly 50 marchers persevered. Nancy Moran (Organizer) and partners including Green Country Sierra Club, All Souls Green Team, Bold Oklahoma, the Carrie Dickerson Foundation, Citizens Climate Lobby, Climate Parents, the Tulsa Women’s March Continues, Indivisible Tulsa, Tulsa Young Professional Sustainability Crew, and Compassionate Tulsa all came out to fight for protecting our climate. Waterkeeper Alliance Senior Attorney Kelly Hunter Foster spoke on EPA Regulatory Rollbacks and why it is crucial that people get involved and express to lawmakers why environmental regulations are important to them.
Feature image by Christian Breen