Fridays for Future US and Youth Climate Strike LA Highlight LA's AIr Pollution Tragedy Using AI

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.

Fridays for Future US: “We believe that 'SILENCED' is a powerful reminder of the real human cost of climate change. We’re facing more and more destructive impacts from fossil fuel pollution, contaminating our water and air, and sickening our communities – with low wealth and communities of color hit first and worst. We need an immediate and just transition from fossil fuels. This campaign is a call to action for all of us to stand up against the fossil fuel industry and work towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Join us on September 15th and 17th for the global climate strike as we demand an end to the era of fossil fuels. We are the heroes we’ve been waiting for. Are you in?"

'Silenced' represents the 9th collaboration between FRED & FARID Los Angeles and Fridays for Future. In 2019, FRED & FARID Los Angeles launched their first campaign for the organisation, titled 'Local Warming' which highlighted the local impact of climate change during the United Nations Climate Change Conference.