On Friday, March 15, an estimated one million youth in 128 countries skipped school to demand immediate action on climate policy reform.
Leadership. #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/Ifk59h2uvr
— GetUp! (@GetUp) March 15, 2019
The global #climatestrike turned out massive, it was one of the largest environmental demonstrations in history. More than 1,600 events took place worldwide. In the United States alone actions took place in at least 136 cities and towns.
Plans for the March 15 strike developed from the activism of 16-year-old Swedish youth environmentalist Greta Thunberg, who started her activism (alone) in August 2018 by skipping school to sit outside the Swedish parliament building, which she still does nearly every single Friday. Thunberg has since been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless activism from the past eight months.
“These strikes are happening today—from Washington D.C. to Moscow, Tromsø to Invercargill, Beirut to Jerusalem, and Shanghai to Mumbai—because politicians have failed us,” Thunberg wrote in the Guardian on Friday. “We’ve seen years of negotiations, pathetic deals on climate change, fossil fuel companies being given free rein to carve open our lands, drill beneath our soils, and burn away our futures for their profit.”
“There is no grey area when it comes to survival,” said Thunberg. “That’s why young people are striking in every corner of the globe, and it’s why we are asking that older people join us on the streets too.”
According to https://t.co/pzYB6XuR6u we have already passed way over one million students on school strike today.
Over 2000 places in 125 countries on all continents.
And we have only just started! #fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate
(picture from Prague, Czech Republic) pic.twitter.com/lvStJg3EEU— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) March 15, 2019
Some of the written demands by youth organizers include world leaders taking action to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celcius, a threshold references in the Paris climate agreement that the United States has backed out of. Youth activists also endorse the Green New Deal resolution introduced last month by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D0NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA).
Although the protests were largely planned and operated by youth activists, environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, 350.org, and Greenpeace officially endorsed the strike and more than 240 scientists signed an open letter supporting the student’s demands.
We are unstoppable. Another world is possible. #ClimateStrike https://t.co/pxZ9rFBm98
— School Strike 4 Climate (@StrikeClimate) March 15, 2019
This sign from the #ClimateStrike is everything pic.twitter.com/Wv2sqLPOwe
— Midwest Unrest (@MW_Unrest) March 15, 2019
Portugal:
Oh boy, look what happened in Lisbon, Portugal.#FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/K1Ew1Zg4ey
— Angela Fay (@lifelearner47) March 15, 2019
Kids these days…
…are fighting for a better planet and a brighter future. Proud of all the young people around the world. Gunning for the “Greatest Generation II” 🌎#ClimateStrikepic.twitter.com/ba3QmQkWeD
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) March 15, 2019
New York:
Beautiful scenes in NYC where thousands of students have gathered at Central Park for the #ClimateStrike. Huge cheers every time a new school joins in. pic.twitter.com/aDp2MujsRj
— Lucky Tran (@luckytran) March 15, 2019
YOUTH CLIMATE PROTESTS: Teens near Central Park in New York City as well as around the world are walking out of schools to call for more action on solving the climate crisis. The Youth #ClimateStrike was started by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg https://t.co/kNWn4ZjUXO
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 15, 2019
Basically.#ClimateStrike #ClimateChange NYC City Hall pic.twitter.com/bJKFuInfoY
— Caroline Lewis (@clewisreports) March 15, 2019
Students around the world are striking today to demand action on climate change. Many were inspired by 16-year-old @GretaThunberg, who was just nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Watch Greta's full TED Talk here: https://t.co/VVDR58QgSO #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/olAjLgHvtL
— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) March 15, 2019
I am so proud of NYC youth taking their future into their own hands today with a #ClimateStrike.
Young people around the world are beginning to launch climate walkouts to pressure their governments into acting on a real climate change plan for their lifetimes, now. https://t.co/ZGOd25JxW3
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019
It’s past time all of us stopped looking the other way, learn from the passion and wisdom of young people and join them in actively organising for a better future.
My response to the strikers: https://t.co/RA8yvPlZBj #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/de0Pqv5yE3
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 15, 2019
Uganda:
#FridaysForFuture #climatestrike #schoolstrike4climate @vanessadantes1 pic.twitter.com/VcnUsAuOca
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) March 15, 2019
Brussels:
LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE MARCH IN BRUSSELS!!! Young people are rising in 2052 places in 123 countries on every continents.
There is no time to waste. We must #ActOnClimate. #climatestrike #klimaatstaking #FridayForFutures #GreenNewDeal @GretaThunberg 🎬 via @JohnHyphen pic.twitter.com/3CGLMDYE8v
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) March 15, 2019
Minnesota:
Sign in St. Paul Minnesota:
"If you don't act like adults, we will."#climatestrike #FridaysForFuture pic.twitter.com/xUMrJjGz0H— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) March 15, 2019
Montreal:
Officially more than 150,000 students on #ClimateStrike in Montreal, the number just came in!! #FridaysForFuture #schoolstrike4climate #YouthStrike4Climate pic.twitter.com/1lYS7iHjMr
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) March 15, 2019
Ukraine:
In Kyiv, Ukraine, 100+ students appealed to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman and the govt to recognize climate change as one of the most pressing nationwide problems and to take appropriate action. #Climatestrike took place in six cities in Ukraine.
Photos: Olena Angelova pic.twitter.com/idIgr8rXvx— 350 dot org (@350) March 15, 2019
Barcelona:
HUGE! crowd out in #Barcelona as far as the eye can see. Young people are rising in 2052 places in 123 countries on every continents.
There is no time to waste. We must #ActOnClimate. #climatestrike #klimaatstaking #FridayForFutures #GreenNewDeal @GretaThunberg 🎬 @luckytran pic.twitter.com/IvzMZPwsBr
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) March 15, 2019
Chile:
Mientras algunos discuten por control de identidad a menores, #AdmisiónJusta u otras pequeñeces, los jóvenes solo piden tener un futuro para vivir ¿Se lo daremos? @sebastianpinera @MMAChile @CarolaSchmidtZ #FridaysForFuture #Santiago #climatechange pic.twitter.com/ApMMphupz0
— Mauro Astete (@MauroAstete) March 15, 2019
Nigeria:
Its my 16 weeks
"Our earth is on fire"#ClimateStrike#FridaysForFuture in Nigeria.
Now is the time for us to actions.
2/n@GretaThunberg @350 @AlexandriaV2005 @havenruthie @Greenpeace @Greenpeaceafric @AfricaCRP @dheenylkhair@adebotes @zaynecowie@ThisIsZeroHour pic.twitter.com/UGXlWNNoTy— Oladosu Adenike (@the_ecofeminist) March 15, 2019
Paris:
We are thousands of people in #Paris for the global strike for climate ! #Youth4Climate #FridayForFuture @GretaThunberg @FYEG @YouthFrance pic.twitter.com/Nqxgd9Q7yA
— Antoine Tifine (@AntoineTifine) March 15, 2019
Hong Kong:
School Strike For Climate Hong Kong #FridaysForFuture #SchoolsStrike4Climate #ClimateStrike #HongKong pic.twitter.com/5EWa2QEXU3
— Veta Chan (@veta_chan) March 15, 2019
New Zealand:
I’m not capturing the best content at the #climatestrike here in Auckland—mostly because there are WAY more people here than anybody predicted. The sound system and the photography spots just can’t accommodate. The kids are here to make US be alright.#climatestrikeNZ pic.twitter.com/ZgAmxeFNiS
— Adam Greenberg 🔥 (@pragmactivist) March 15, 2019
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