Youngsters’ climate action
STudenTs Join naTional sTrike over alleged failure To Tackle crisis
YOUNG people from across Kirklees joined thousands nationwide by going on strike today in a Global Youth Strike 4 Climate.
The event organised by the UK Student Climate Network,is protesting against governments’ alleged failure to combat the so-called ‘climate crisis’.
And organisers are calling on politicians to listen to young peoples’ demands for action to prevent climate breakdown and protect their futures.
The protest began in St George’s Square outside Huddersfield Rail Station with children and college/ university students given the option to travel later by train to the Leeds Youth Strike 4 Climate.
Eve, aged 12, from Huddersfield said: “I’m supporting the climate strike as I don’t think it’s fair that our future has been messed up by adults. Things need to change quickly.
“Adults need to realise the climate is changing now and we need to deal with it now, not in 20 years time when it would be too late.”
Another Huddersfield participant Joseph, aged 12, said: “I want to do this because the government isn’t taking any real action and this will force them to act.”
Daniel Antunes, who is a second year student at Huddersfield University said: “It’s ridiculous the way the Government is treating our future.
“Corporate investment shouldn’t take prominence over the state of our planet.”
But students at Heckmondwike Grammar School came up with a different way to respond to the supposed global climate catastrophe.
Year 8 Geography students decided to take a more practical approach.
Rather than losing school time they have been working on creative projects to help raise awareness of the challenges we are facing and how we can be part of the solution.
Students have designed board games that educate players on cli-
National action over
climate crisis: See
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mate charities, created web pages on carbon sequestration, made a working model that converts wind energy into electricity and received responses to letters written to the Environment Secretary and MPs.
One student even went as far as to send electronic questionnaires around the world to ask what people see as the most important environmental issue in their region before drawing conclusions from the results.
Colne Valley MP Thelma Walker mentioned the youth strikes in a Parliamentary debate last month saying: “I was proud to see children protesting earlier this month, engaging in political action, to share their concerns about the future.
“To the children and young people worldwide who took a stand a fortnight ago, I say thank you for making your voices heard and for advocating a better future. We hear you.”