“My role is to be one of many, many activists who are pushing for climate action. I donʼt see myself as a leader, or icon, or the face of a movement.”
From London to Lyon and from Perth to Paris, climate activists are taking part in a general general strike today, in what is already expected to be the biggest day of climate protests in planet Earth’s history.
Some of the first protests were staged overnight in Australia; organizers have said “well over” 300,000 people gathered in more than 100 cities and towns across the country. Melbourne, which has experienced unusually dry weather this past winter, hosted the largest march in terms of numbers, with 100,000 demonstrators; 80,000 rallied in Sydney, and 30,000 in Brisbane.
The Global Climate Strike is the third in a worldwide series of climate rallies organized by school students and led by 16-year-old climate activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg. Here is what she has said.
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“For 25 years, countless people have come to the U.N. climate conferences begging our world leaders to stop emissions, and clearly that has not worked as emissions are continuing to rise. So I will not beg the world leaders to care for our future. I will instead let them know change is coming whether they like it or not.”
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“We have gathered today because we have chosen which path we want to take, and now we are waiting for the others to follow our example. We will never stop fighting for this planet, for our futures, and for the futures of our children and grandchildren.
”We need to get angry and understand what is at stake. And then we need to transform that anger into action and to stand together united and just never give up. We are striking to disrupt the system, to create attention. I just hope that it will turn out well.”
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“It feels like we are at a breaking point. Leaders know that more eyes are on them, much more pressure is on them, that they have to do something, they have to come up with some sort of solution. I want a concrete plan, not just nice words.”
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“Many people say that Sweden is just a small country, and it doesnʼt matter what we do. But I have learned you are never too small to make a difference.
“If a few children can get headlines all over the world just by not going to school, then imagine what we could all do together if we really wanted to.”
This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.
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