A UK wide student strike has been called on Friday 15 February 2019 to protest against climate inaction, with a global strike following on Friday 15 March.

There have been escalating young people’s school strikes across the globe, with tens of thousands coming onto the streets to demand action to stop global warming and environmental destruction.

All have been inspired by Greta Thunberg, who began a solo climate protest by striking from school in Sweden in August 2018. Since then, thousands of school students around the world have joined her.

Climate action

The school strikes have spread to at least 270 towns and cities in countries across the world, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the US, Canada and Japan.

The picture above shows young people in Belgium taking part in a strike organised by an independent youth movement, not affiliated to any parties or organisations. 

In November 2018, thousands of Australian children struck school in defiance of the prime minister to protest for greater action on climate change.

Organisers estimated around 15,000 left their classrooms in 30 locations across the country, including Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, carrying signs reading “procrastinating is our job not yours” and “I’ve seen smarter Cabinets at Ikea”. There were similar protests in Canberra and Hobart also.

Youth

On 10 January, 3000 young people took to the streets of Brussels, calling for climate action outside the the European Parliament.

A week later on 17 January, 12,500 came out (part of the crowd shown in pictures below). On 24 January, over 32,000 took part, with another 5000 coming out in other Belgian cities.

The following day, there were climate strikes in Switzerland, where more than 20,000 students from schools and colleges in 15 cities took part, and in Germany, where similar numbers joined events in at least 56 towns and cities.

For the February 15th youth strike in the UK, events have so far been set up in cities including London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and Brighton.

New phase

We are now in a new phase of climate action in the UK. More and more of us are deciding to make our voices heard over climate change.

Young people are not waiting for adults to do something for them – instead, they are leading the way in taking action for themselves. 

The UK Students’ Climate Network said on their Facebook page: “Exciting stuff is happening here!! Let’s keep 2019 going the way it has started: full of determination to do everything we can to make our voices heard and save the planet from mass extinction before it is too late.”

This Article 

This article was first published on the Campaign Against Climate Change blog.