In Polarizing Times, a Young Politician and Climate Activist Urges Communication, Collaboration

As the world’s eyes turn to Dubai for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), Austin-based Texas Impact/Texas Interfaith Power & Light is sending video dispatches from the conference to the Chronicle.

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MEP Lídia Pereira stands out in a lot of spaces: She represents Portugal in the European Parliament; she’s president of the Youth of the European People's Party; she describes herself as a political moderate; and in 2019 she became the first European politician to run a carbon neutral political campaign. She’s also a 32-year-old woman, and she represents a crucial constituency in the fight to keep 1.5 alive: young political leaders from across the world who value diversity and dialogue, accept pragmatism, and insist on solving the climate equation for equity as well as emissions. In this interview, Pereira urges American voters to embrace their role as leaders in the global community who are needed to “make sure that our planet does not burn for future generations.”

Follow Texas Impact/Texas Interfaith Power & Light's continuing coverage from COP28.

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About Texas Impact
Texas Impact exists to put faith into action. We equip faith leaders and their congregations with the information, opportunities, and outreach tools to educate their communities and engage with lawmakers on pressing public policy issues. We are an interfaith group that works together on issues that impact the most vulnerable people in our communities. We help people live out their faith in the public square, moving the faith community from charity to justice.