Youth activists are on a mission to get Big Oil to pay for the massive damages associated with burning dirty energy sources. 

As the Guardian reported, the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate action movement in the United States, is ramping up efforts to launch campaigns as the federal government aims to increase oil and gas production. 

In 2018, the group stormed the U.S. Capitol in protest of the oil industry, which pressured politicians to embrace greener policies. But now that the new administration has reversed some of these climate regulations, Sunrise is more determined than ever to raise awareness about the importance of scaling back dirty fuels and making polluters pay for the damage they've caused. 

Before the 2026 elections, the group will launch a campaign called "End the Oligarchy, Save Our Futures" to engage young people in the fight for a cleaner, healthier world. It will also focus on helping the public understand that climate issues are not a matter of politics, but rather a scientific reality, and something both parties are responsible for addressing. 

"Climate disasters are devastating working people around the country — destroying homes and pushing people into crushing debt. It's far past time that big oil be held accountable," California representative Ro Khanna told the Guardian.

The Sunrise Movement aims to make that happen by pushing for states to pass "climate superfund" bills — which require fossil fuel companies to cover the costs of climate-related damages. Last year, New York and Vermont were the first two states to pass the bill, and California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Oregon may be next. 

In California, the effects of the changing climate have been stark, with devastating wildfires destroying entire neighborhoods earlier this year. A report by the World Weather Attribution found that human-caused warming made the hot, dry, and windy conditions that fueled the fires about 35% more likely. 

If the climate superfund bill passes, it would help the state pay for climate resilience measures, infrastructure improvements, and public health initiatives, according to Sunrise member Nicolas Gardner Serna.

To revitalize young people's interest in climate issues, the group plans to organize nationwide "school strikes," which were inspired by the climate activist Greta Thunberg.

In the short term, its main focus will be on attracting the attention of presidential candidates before the 2026 midterm elections, as implementing large-scale changes to support the climate requires governmental support. 

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Since young people are the future, it's no surprise that they're at the forefront of the climate movement. By empowering others to stand up to polluters, they're leading the way to a more equitable life for all. 

"We'll be looking for candidates to talk about climate as the populist, working-class issue that it is," Aru Shiney-Ajay, Sunrise's executive director, told the Guardian.

"What we're seeing right now around the country is a deep sense that this system isn't working for us and that it is working for billionaires and rich people," Shiney-Ajay added.

"The 'polluters pay' frame speaks to that idea that some of the richest companies should help clean up the mess they made, while also undermining Trump on something where he polls the lowest, which is on climate issues."

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