More than 300 high school students gathered at Stony Brook University for the inaugural 2025 Long Island Youth Climate Summit on April 4, organized by Students for Climate Action and Renewable Energy Long Island. The event aimed to engage young people in discussions on sustainable energy and climate action.
Derek O’Connor, from the Office for Research and Innovation, praised the event's efforts to gather key stakeholders. "This event was incredible as it gathered key stakeholders and decision makers from government, advocacy, industry, and higher education and called the next generation of climate innovators to action," he stated.
The summit featured a keynote address by Professor Christopher Gobler, who discussed climate change's severe effects and expressed concern over federal agencies' recent challenges. "Those agencies have for a very long time been incredible leaders in climate change and understanding what climate change means for this planet," he noted.
Discussions on climate change's impact continued with Mirza Beg, who addressed the quick evolution from a farming society and the subsequent rise in greenhouse gases due to industrialization. Beg emphasized human activity as a main contributor to climate issues. "We are responsible for that," he asserted.
Adrienne Esposito from Citizens Campaign for the Environment encouraged students to counter misinformation and become proactive changemakers. "You don’t have to be a professional activist to invoke change," she remarked, promoting the power of education and advocacy.
Local representatives, including Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Suffolk Legislator Rebecca Sanin, emphasized the importance of preparing young leaders. Romaine highlighted the urgency of embracing alternative energy solutions considering climate change's real challenges.
Jennifer Gilday of the Collaborative for the Earth underlined the summit's role in educating future eco-leaders and climate scientists. "Stony Brook University is proud to be a co-sponsor in training up the next generation of eco leaders," she commented.
Christopher Gobler closed the summit by empowering attendees to act. "It’s people like you who will be trained to do these things and apply them in a way that makes a difference in this world," he encouraged.
The summit served as a platform for students from across Long Island to explore solutions and policies related to climate, environment, and sustainability.