Youth hold climate change protest in downtown Bend

(Update: Adding video, comments)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Youth organizers met in downtown Bend Friday morning to bring awareness to the continued efforts to fight climate change.

The group calls itself the Deschutes Youth Climate Congress, and a few dozen participants were on hand.

Members say they're protesting in order to educate and pass new legislation that would combat climate change.

Organizers Sydney Dedrick and Kira Gilbert led the efforts.

"Our main protest goals are to address environmental racism, add a green new deal, and add a carbon cap-and-trade agreement," Dedrick said.

The Green New Deal is a proposed package of legislation that aims to address climate change and economic inequality according to Congress.

Its primary goal is to bring U.S. greenhouse gas emissions down to net-zero and meet 100% of power demand in the country through renewable energy by 2030.

Back in January, a divided federal appeals court panel turned down a climate change lawsuit that 21 youths, including a Bend woman, brought against the government.

Earlier this week, members of Congress met with four of the youth plaintiffs to introduce a Children's Fundamental Rights and Climate Recovery Resolution.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., was one of those lawmakers.

"I hope we're going to be coming together to celebrate in the future, when Congress takes enormous and progressive action to take on climate chaos," Merkley said.

The resolution wouldn't lead to any direct changes in law, but Merkley said he hopes it will give congressional support to the underlying principles of the lawsuit.