We are young leaders from both sides of the political aisle who, in the wake of the November election, know that the United States must remain committed to the clean energy transition.
With decades ahead of us, our generation understands, more than any other, that climate change is a present reality and will significantly affect our lives, our friends’ lives, and our country’s future.
The election results cannot be a reason for the energy transition to stall, or, worse, slip backward. We have too far to go and too little time to cut emissions.
Given the partisan divide over this issue, the question is how?
A key answer is the rising generation.
For years, young people have been at the forefront of climate activism. From the global climate strikes to careers dedicated to the clean energy transition, our generation has pushed climate change to the center of the public conversation. Poll after poll shows that most of us think climate action is not just important but a time-sensitive priority. A recent Pew survey, for instance, found that most young adults believe the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change.
This climate awareness and activism isn’t exclusive to the left. Support for climate action has surged across the political spectrum, including among young Republicans. According to a 2024 survey by Echelon Insights, 76 percent of young conservatives support the transition to clean energy. That’s a significant shift — and a crucial one.
This groundswell of support among the rising generation is one of the most significant reasons for hope. At a moment where climate politics might otherwise be at an impasse, young conservatives and young liberals can reboot the politics of climate change, make the issue a bipartisan national priority, and clear the way for much-needed policy solutions.
Yet, hope alone won’t translate into political progress unless we build the infrastructure to support and channel it. For bipartisan climate progress to become a reality, it’s imperative to strengthen the advocacy and organizing networks necessary to turn this youthful energy into sustained action.
However, there’s a critical problem: Young people engaged in bipartisan climate efforts are getting little help from older generations.
Philanthropists, who provide critical funding to climate organizations and campaigns, largely neglect bipartisan climate organizing. Estimates suggest less than 1 percent of climate philanthropy goes to right-of-center organizing and advocacy. This lopsided support leaves a massive gap in our ability to bridge the political divide on climate. Without investment in bipartisan organizing, the energy and passion of young people — across the political spectrum — risks being wasted.
In the GOP, for example, younger conservatives are — by far — the most climate-forward constituency within the party. Wouldn’t it make sense to invest significantly in this cohort as a lever for change?
This is a missed opportunity; frankly, it’s a strategic mistake. We need both sides of the aisle engaged and activated in building broad support for climate solutions. Bipartisanship is imperative — now more than ever.
Imagine the potential over the next few years if climate philanthropy is fully invested in activating young conservatives who want to tackle climate change and in young liberals who are ready to reach across the aisle to meet them. The next generation is ready to step up and reshape the public conversation on climate change, especially as our generation grows as a share of the electorate. For that to happen, the environmental movement needs to broaden its approach and invest in organizing across the political spectrum.
Climate change knows no political boundaries, and neither should our organizing approach. Only by building durable, bipartisan coalitions can we ensure that needed climate policies — permitting reform, innovation incentives, pollution pricing — pass and last, regardless of who holds power in Washington.
We are asking the adults in the room — those with the resources and the ability to set agendas — to invest in the future. This means funding the next generation of climate leaders on both sides of the political aisle and helping us build the bridges needed to do the job.
Ultimately, all deep change is generational change, and, on climate change, it must be as well.
Our generation is ready, but we can’t do this alone.