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Youth climate protests: Striking urgency into the establishment to effect change … today
Ben Hamilton
March 4th, 2019
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This article is more than 5 years old.
On March 15, there will be over 20 protests in Denmark alone, as environmental concerns are voiced loudly in 500 cities across the world
Youth fighting for their future (photo: Flickr/Climate Change Camp Protest)
Young people have had enough! From Our Future Our Choice, the university student-driven push for a second Brexit referendum to stop the UK from leaving the EU, to the efforts of the students in Parkland, Florida to ensure their high school shooting wasn’t just another grim stat in the history books, youngsters are being more seen and heard across the planet.
And if there is a poster girl, it is Greta Thunberg, the Swedish school girl whose heroic efforts are inspiring unprecedented efforts in the fight to make climate change an absolute priority for every country on the planet.
On Friday March 15, youngsters all over the world will be taking to the streets in the name of Greta for ‘ Klimastrejke – FridaysForFuture Denmark’, a co-ordinated series of climate protests to strike urgency into the establishment.
40 countries, 500 cities
So far, 40 countries have signed up to take part – nearly 500 cities in total. Denmark already has more than 20 strikes planned.
The underlying message of the strikes is that climate policy must be elevated on the agenda of the world’s countries, so it is no longer a sub-category, but integral in all political discussions.
In addition, world leaders need to remember, say the protesters, that they are tomorrow’s voters and need to be taken seriously.
Lacking the adequate vigour
“We have known about climate change and global warming for decades, but our leaders have failed to show adequate vigour to lead us out of this crisis. This failure, as well as the visible consequences of climate change, has really put climate at the top of the citizens’ agenda,” explain the organisers of the Danish strikes.
“Frustration is particularly acute among the world’s young people, who are not yet old enough to vote for their future. Therefore, although we all appreciate the welfare state and the right to free education in Denmark, our climate-striking students need to have their voices heard.”
As one of the participants, 17-year-old Danish student Mikkel, says: “I’m going to take part in the climate strikes because I want to be able to look my future children and grandchildren in the eye.”
Outside Parliament and city halls
The protesters will gather outside Parliament in Copenhagen, as well as multiple other venues, such as city centres, city and town halls, and other public places.
Strikes are confirmed in Copenhagen (multiple), Aalborg, Aarhus, Esbjerg, Hillerød, Kerteminde, Køge, Nykøbing Falster, Næstved, Ribe, Roskilde, Rønne, Silkeborg Svendborg, Sorø, the Faroese capital Thorshavn, and the Greenlandic capital Nuuk.
“We encourage all Danish politicians, journalists, organisations and citizens to put aside their disagreements and support this historic event for a green future, since we can only emerge from humanity’s most threatening crisis so far together,” conclude the organisers.
For more information, visit klimastrejke.org.
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