American children joined others across the world Friday in a “global strike” to highlight their concerns over the growing “climate crisis,” claiming the world has just 11 years to reduce carbon emissions or face a planet-wide catastrophe.
“While supporters of all ages are turning out, the day was billed as a walkout by high school students to call on world leaders to step up their efforts against carbon emissions and other environmental issues,” reports USA Today. “In the U.S., New York City’s 1.1 million school students were excused from class to participate in the strike protests. Demonstrators in Washington, D.C., planned a march to Capitol Hill.”
The #ClimateStrike crowd numbers are phenomenal.
Melbourne 100,000+
Sydney 80,000+
Brisbane 30,000
Hobart 20,000
Canberra 15,000
Perth & Adelaide at least 10,000 each
Thousands more across regional Australia & Pacific https://t.co/rViiPMOgWR @strikeclimate #schoolstrike4climate pic.twitter.com/VAOKRHq7Zu— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) September 20, 2019
“In Poland, which is heavily reliant on coal, thousands of students turned out to demand more efforts to fight global warning. To mark the day, Poland’s president Andrzej Duda and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda helped remove trash from a forest,” adds USA Today.
People are taking to the streets in different parts of the world as part of a global #ClimateStrike.https://t.co/4C9gjjT3AB
— Twitter Moments UK & Ireland (@UKMoments) September 20, 2019
“School won’t matter in the future if we’re too busy running from extreme weather events,” says Alexandria Villaseñor, one of the organizers of the September 20 climate strike in NYC.
Read ‘Why They Strike' and find a local climate strike: https://t.co/xHZ5OaC5GQ pic.twitter.com/NjVYdLfLYU— Patagonia (@patagonia) September 16, 2019
“.@NYCschools will excuse absences of students participating in the #ClimateStrike on Friday 9/20. Students will need parental consent. Younger students can only leave school with a parent,” posted the school district’s official Twitter account.
.@NYCschools will excuse absences of students participating in the #ClimateStrike on Friday 9/20. Students will need parental consent. Younger students can only leave school with a parent. https://t.co/hcBO1Cnb3m
— NYC Public Schools (@NYCSchools) September 12, 2019
“Youth strike advocates Fridays for Future said more than 2400 events were taking place from Sept. 20 through Sept. 27 to coincide with the UN climate summit on Sept. 23, where Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is due to make an address,” reports Axios.