| Philosophy | Fridays for Future US, in association with Youth Climate Strike LA unveils "SILENCED," an emotionally charged social campaign aimed at shedding light on the devastating impact poor air quality has on Los Angeles, a city grappling with climate change. The campaign - developed with creative agency FRED & FARID Los Angeles - presents AI-generated portraits of young individuals who could have been alive today but unfortunately passed away early or were not born at all due to the harmful effects of air pollution, particularly caused by fossil fuel emissions. According to a United Nations Human Rights Special Procedures report, an estimated 150,000 premature deaths annually have been linked to climate change. In Los Angeles specifically, an estimated 1,341 premature deaths occur due to poor air quality, as revealed by a study conducted by the American Thoracic Society. Fridays for Future US underscores the tragic truth that these premature deaths rob young people of their future and their voices in the fight against climate change. "THIS YOUNG PERSON WILL NOT RAISE THEIR VOICE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, BECAUSE THEY DIED FROM CLIMATE CHANGE," reads the sub-line of each portrait, making it abundantly clear that climate change is not a distant, abstract concept but a pressing reality that demands immediate attention. Fridays for Future US is committed to connecting these tragic losses to the urgent need for climate action. The campaign urges viewers to support the global climate strike, scheduled for September 15th and 17th, and to join the call to end the era of fossil fuels. |
