Hundreds set to skip classes for climate strike

● Campaigning children swapping school for demos across the country

Hundreds of school pupils are boycotting classes today to join a mass international demonstration calling for UK and world leaders to step up action against climate change.

The protests are part of a movement inspired by Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old Swedish schoolgirl who has been missing lessons to sit outside government offices in her country in a bid to persuade MPS to comply with the Paris climate agreement.

It’s the second global youth strike for climate, with children turning out in 50 countries. In Scotland, protests are being staged in at least 18 locations, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Stirling, and as far afield as Ullapool, Fort William, South Uist, Orkney and Eigg.

Among those gathering outside the Scottish Parliament is

0 Youth protests in Amsterdam yesterday while Edinburgh school student Sandy Boyd, above right, will help rally Scottish action today

Sandy Boyd, a 14-year-old S3 student from Trinity Academy in Edinburgh. He is a cofounder of campaign group Edinburgh Youth Strikes, which is helping spearhead actions in the capital.

The group, made up of youngsters from six high schools across the city, is expecting 500 to 600 pupils to join the strike at Holyrood.

He said: “I’ve been aware of climate change for a long time

but didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation.

“Young people are deeply worried and we want our voices heard. We can’t vote, yet it’s our futures that will be most affected by climate change.

We need to get our leaders to listen. This is too important.

“The message must get through before it’s too late.”

A special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year warned that aims to keep global warming under 1.5C were off track and there remained 12 years to rectify the situation.

Josie Law, also 14, from Edinburgh’s Broughton High School, believes the protests are an effective way to make society heed the upcoming generation’s concerns.

She said: There’s no better way to make our point than not be where we’re supposed to be. Adults are not the only people in the world, and if they’re building a future we don’t want then we need to take action.

“People have criticised us missing lessons, but there’s not much point in education if there is no planet to live on.”