NY High School, College Students To Rally At Capitol For Climate Sustainability, Leadership

Editor’s note: Recently, on the opposite side of this generational age group and on the opposite side of the political spectrum, local Staten Island politicians advocated for sustainable energy policies (often involving making oil, gas, and electricity more affordable) and relaxing of the very climate rules these students are presently advocating to increase and improve the strength, effectiveness, and enforcement of.  These current laws and rules do not go far enough, in their view, to protect the environment and enact responsible land and resource management, conserving what we have before it is lost for future generations. Pollution is a serious issue as well, both for these students and for other environmental groups, because if the land and water resources suffer from contamination and pollution, they will not support the ecosystem and in some cases human populations in their areas.  Such damage often takes decades of active remediation to correct, which is usually not done due to its cost and the persistence required.  This is also particularly as it relates to tribal fishing grounds, which are being polluted at an alarming rate and with very little recourse, accountability, or oversight.    A recent Supreme Court refusal to hear a case about the religious freedoms and other guarantees inherent in treaties signed hundreds of years ago demonstrated this same lack of recourse when it comes to sacred tribal  lands that the government was able to take without repurcussion, showing again that minority religions are not given real equal protection under the law, since it has not been granted by the highest court.  See the video below: 

TREEage’s 5th annual Youth Day of Action, where we anticipate that 1,000 students from across New York will gather at the Capitol to rally ahead of state budget negotiations.

The youth day of action is taking place on March 17, 2026, at the New York State Capitol and is anticipated to be New York’s largest youth-led climate action, in partnership with NYRenews and others. The students will conduct over 100 legislative meetings, rally on the Million Dollar Staircase at 11:00 am, and host a powerful storytelling action at the Governor’s office.

New York’s largest student-led climate action, TREEage’s 5th annual Youth Day of Action, in partnership with NY Renews, Invest in Our New York, Make the Road NY, and others, will take place on March 17, 2026

Students from across New York are anticipated to conduct over 100 legislative meetings at the Capitol, rally on the Million Dollar Staircase, and host a powerful storytelling action at the Governor’s office.

In the final days of the State budget negotiations, they are calling on the state legislators and the Governor to maintain hard-fought mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and address additional, timely, pressing issues like tax inequality and passing New York for All. 

Media are invited to New York’s largest youth-led climate action, TREEage’s 5^th annual Youth Day of Action, in partnership with NYRenews, Invest in Our New York, Make the Road New York,  and others, on March 17, 2026, at the New York State Capitol. This action is critically timed for the final days of the state’s $260B FY2027 budget negotiations, ensuring student demands are heard at a critical decision-making moment.

One thousand students from across New York are expected to conduct over 100 legislative meetings, rally on the Million Dollar Staircase, and host a powerful storytelling action at the Governor’s office.

The students are calling on the state to maintain hard-fought mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and address additional, timely, pressing issues young people care about, like investing in green and healthy school buildings, taxing the rich to ensure greater equality, and passing the New York for All Act.

Whether it is walking outside to find orange skies resulting from wildfire pollution, experiencing floods on public transport, worsening asthma and other health issues, or increased heating and cooling costs, climate change is affecting them at every level of their lives. These students are demanding opportunities to speak up, using their voices, art, experiences, and political savvy to act on this pressing issue.

The personal testimonies from New York’s students, from all regions across the state, reveal that they have already experienced three harsh realities: climate change is already here, it is expensive, and it is interconnected with other areas of life, from economics to social justice.

This is New York’s largest annual student-led climate action

TREEage, in partnership with NYRenews, Invest in Our New York, and Make the Road NY. The 5th annual Youth Day of Action will attract 1,000 students from across New York and involve State legislators.

Happening this Tuesday,  March 17, 2026

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New York State Capitol

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TREEage’s membership is 100% high school and college students. We’re building the next generation of leaders fighting for environmental justice and our communities.

Banner Image: Last year’s protest. Image Credit – TreeAGE