STUDENTS from across Scotland will today join their colleagues at 1500 locations worldwide for the second global school strike for climate change.
Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg started the strikes last August and since then they have been repeated around the world, with students marching for urgent action from governments on the climate crisis.
READ MORE: Youth climate strikers have a right to be angry and frustrated
Demonstrations will be held in Edinburgh from the Meadows to the Scottish Parliament, and in Glasgow from the People’s Palace to George Square.
Static protests will also be held in towns and cities the length and breadth of Scotland, including Aberdeen, Fort William, Skelmorlie, Aboyne, Fort William, Peebles, Nairn, Stirling and Ullapool.
The last global strike on March 15 involved around 10,000 Scottish students, and organisers expect more to attend today’s marches.
As with the strike in March, the City of Edinburgh Council has passed an emergency motion allowing students to attend the protest during school time.
Nicola Sturgeon declared a climate emergency at the SNP conference earlier this year and was followed by Westminster, where MPs passed an opposition motion declaring a climate emergency.
The Tory Government has still to acknowledge this motion.
Demonstration organisers say the purpose of today’s strike in Scotland is to urge politicians and the government to act on the climate emergency which they have declared and make the fight against climate breakdown a top priority.
Holly Gillibrand, 13, from Fort William summed it up for many of the youngsters when she said: “I am too young to vote and we can’t wait for people my age to come into power.
“That’s why we need to strike to make our voices heard.”
Neelu Saraswatibhatla, a 17-year-old from Edinburgh, said: “We are terrified for our futures and are doing all we can to stop destruction. We are the ones who will be most affected by climate breakdown but we are not being taken seriously enough, so protesting is the only way we have to make our voices heard.”
Evie Hylands, 15, from Glasgow added that the opinions of young people had been disregarded in the climate debate.
“We can’t pause time. Time will go on regardless of anything we do,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t use that time effectively and take active steps toward achieving climate justice.
“I am striking because I want change to happen, and there is no use studying for a future career if I can’t even see a future for my planet. This protest symbolises something greater than just a strike. It gives a perfect depiction of the anger of the youth, who will be most affected by the fall of mother nature, yet we always seem to be the ones whose opinions are disregarded.”
Sandy Boyd, 15, from Edinburgh said: “I am striking from school this Friday because I am fed up with just hearing words and declarations. Now more than ever is the time when we need to be taking action.
“The world’s scientists have stated that we only have 11 years left to safeguard our future, and this issue still is not being acted upon.”
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