What’s Going On Here?
On Friday 20th and 27th of September there is a call for everybody to take part in the Global Climate Strike, joining children in the #YouthStrike4Climate movement. This aims to be the biggest mobilisation yet, calling for climate justice for all.
What Does This Mean?
Greta Thunberg rose as a global phenomenon in August 2018 with her school strikes for the climate inspiring 1.6 million school children around the world to join her in the Fridays for Future movement. Recognising that young people will inherit the actions of past and current generations, many adults want to show solidarity with the youth strikers. This has led to the organisation of intergenerational global strikes in over 100 countries.
The main strike date, September 20th, is three days before the start of the UN emergency climate summit in New York – this is the main event Greta casually sailed across the Atlantic Ocean for! The grassroots movement Earth Strike and environmental organisation 350.org are urging a week-long strike, up to and including the September 27th.
Organisers are hoping for the biggest turn out so far, with all age groups joining students to demonstrate to governments and global companies the need for urgent change to address the climate and ecological crisis. There is also support from many NGOs, companies, unions, charities and movements including Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth, the Trade Unions Congress, Lush, Patagonia, Amnesty International and healthcare professionals to name just a few!
Why Should We Care?
In Greta’s words ‘our house is on fire’. The planet is in the midst of a climate emergency and nobody is acting quickly enough. The IPCC’s 2018 report revealed that limiting warming to the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C would require rapid and dramatic changes, yet they aren’t being put in place quick enough and the world is still on track for a catastrophic 3°C warming by the end of the century.
Although individual changes are important, it is mass movements of large numbers that historically have pushed through monumental changes. There is also research that just 3.5% of the population needs to mobilise for a peaceful mass movement to succeed- so every person counts! These specific strikes are also so important as they are cross-continental and cross-generational. This mirrors exactly how climate change needs to be tackled – with a global effort.
Be Curious!
- Attend a global climate strike event near you if you can. Look here to see if your local city has something planned
- If you can’t take an unplanned day off work consider taking an impromptu holiday day, or visit a strike in your lunch break
- Encourage employers to follow other businesses like these in striking as a company and encouraging their employees to attend the strikes
- If you can’t attend the strikes in person, show support on social media and even wear a badge or clothing in support. Raise awareness by talking to friends and family and encouraging others to go
- If you have a blog or a website join the digital climate strike
