What is the Climate Strike?
Swedish school student Greta Thunberg attracted international attention when she sat in front of the Swedish parliament building with her “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (school strike for climate) sign in 2018. Very soon Thunberg’s one-person strike gained momentum and thousands of students around the globe have been inspired to help draw attention to the global climate crisis. In March this year kids in over 2000 took to the streets, asking adults to front up and take responsibility for the current climate change emergency.
Starting today, Friday 20 September, students will strike once again. This time they will be joined by adults who strike from work for the day to “demand an end to the age of fossil fuels.” More than 130 countries and over 4000 locations will take part in the week-long movement that will bring much-needed attention to the global climate crisis.
The Climate Strike So Far
Australia and the Pacific Islands kicked off the global climate strike this morning. In Sydney police confirmed that at least 50,000 attended the rally with protesters filling up The Domain. Official numbers in Melbourne are yet to be confirmed by the police but organisers estimating that around 100,000 people have taken to the streets to strike.
OMG the #ClimateStrike is SO big in Melbourne. Crowd estimates coming in at 100k! pic.twitter.com/UpnQHVoB2r
— School Strike 4 Climate Australia (@StrikeClimate) September 20, 2019
Australian school protesters are asking the federal government to commit to no new coal, oil or gas projects; 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2020; and funding for “a just transition and job creation for all fossil-fuel industry workers and communities.”
In the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu, the Solomons, and Kiribati – some of the nations most threatened by climate change and rising ocean levels – school children chanted “we are not sinking, we are fighting.”
The Climate Strikes in New Zealand
A handful of countries, including New Zealand, have postponed the climate strike until next week. Students and adults will take to the street on the 27th of September in support of immediate and urgent climate action.
The University of Auckland has refused to support the strike in New Zealand. It is the only university in the country that has decided to not support the strikes.
The Climate Strikes Around the Globe
London’s event will begin at 11am local time and marchers are being warned that police could restrict them to Westminster.
New York is expected to draw one of the biggest crowds to protest for climate action.
In Paris, a march will begin at Place de la Nation and will finish with workshops, conferences and meetings at Parc de Bercy.
How can I get involved with the climate strikes?
If you want to get involved the best place to start is by consulting the Fridays for Future map. The map details all of the climate action events that have been scheduled right around the globe. Hover over the pin of a location to get more information on the details of an individual event.
