You’re going to be hearing the words “climate strike” a lot today. So what’s everyone talking about?
Well, thousands of Aussies are expected to leave work, school or universities – either for the day or for just an hour or two – to mark the inaugural Global Climate Strike, a movement that aims to force action on the climate crisis from governments, businesses and individuals.
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra are hosting their own #climatestrike rallies, with smaller regional protests also being held in dozens of regional cities and towns.
In total, there will be just over 100 strikes happening in Australia alone, with over 120 countries across the globe participating.
Here’s everything you need to know about the day of action.
Watch environmental activist, Greta Thunberg’s UN climate change speech. Post continues after video.
How did the global climate strike happen?
We can thank 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, for inspiring this international day (and in fact, a whole week around the world) of action. In August 2015, the then 15-year-old sat in front of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament House) every school day for three weeks as a way to campaign against the lack of government-backed environmental action.
Her protest soon went viral, and from September 8 onwards Thunberg vowed to strike every Friday, with adults and students joining her protest.
However, today's global Climate Change Strike carries a particular sense of urgency.
This strike takes place three days out from the UN’s Emergency Climate Summit, in New York, where world leaders will discuss policy related to emissions reduction, and make financial commitments to the UN Green Climate Fund.
From an Australian perspective, it's already been confirmed that our Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will not be attending the summit, instead sending Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and the Australian ambassador for the environment, Patrick Suckling.
A second and more general strike, dubbed the Earth Strike, will be happening on September 27.
Will school students also be going on strike?
Like the first School Climate Strike which happened on November 20, 2018, many students are expected to put down their textbooks and participate in the protests.
However, PM Scott Morrison has made his personal opinion on students planning to strike, very clear.
“Each day I send my kids to school and I know other members’ kids should also go to school but we do not support our schools being turned into parliaments,” said the 51-year-old politician, addressing members of parliament in November last year.
“What we want is more learning in schools and less activism in schools.”
Where to attend the climate strike in...
Melbourne
Organisers estimate the Melbourne event will draw in the biggest crowds, and multiple tram routes have already been diverted.
VIC residents can also join protests in: Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Bright, Castlemaine, Echuca, Fish Creek, Geelong, Mildura, Sale, Shepparton, Traralgon, Warrnambool, Wonthaggi.
Sydney
NSW residents can also join protests in: Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Bega, Bellingen, Bermagui, Bowral, Bowraville, Braidwood, Byron Bay, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Eden, Forster, Gosford, Grafton, Kempsey, Leeton, Lismore, Moruya, Mudgee, Nambucca Heads, Newcastle, Nowra, Orange, Pennant Hills, Port Macquarie, Pottsville, Springwood, Tamworth, Taree, Ulladulla, Wagga, Wollar, Wollongong.
Adelaide
SA residents can also join protests in: Clare, Kangaroo Island, Naracoorte, Port Lincoln.
Brisbane
QLD residents can also join protests in: Ayr, Atherton, Bundaberg, Cairns, Cooladdi, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, Whitsundays.
Darwin
NT residents can also join protests in: Alice Springs, Katherine, Maningrida.
Perth
WA residents can also join protests in: Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Denmark, Esperance, Geraldton, Margaret River.
Canberra
ACT residents can also join protests in:
Hobart
TAS residents can also join protests in: Burnie, Devonport, Launceston, Vasse, Wynyard.
Will you be attending a climate strike? Tell us in a comment below.
Top Comments
Yep had a bunch of protesters aka unemployed and uni students march past my work today holding their signs and demanding action for climate change. I noticed all of them were on their mobile phones......using one phone for one hour a day for one year produces more carbon emissions than two round trip flights between New York and Glasgow.
I love the cherry picking of their climate change rage, they march on the government to make changes which will be insignificant on a worldwide scale only succeeding in costing hard working people more money in the long run while the protesters happily use their smartphones. In 2018 alone mobile phones left a total carbon footprint at least equal to Philippines annual carbon emissions. A country with a population of 100 million people.
When the protesters are practicing what they preach I will be more interested in listening.
Yeah, sure you will.
So no comment on the actual point of my post.......I bet everyone at the regional centre you attended was in possession of a smart phone/device. Not very environmentally friendly.
I went to our regional centre's first ever one with my 10 year old today. He cried when I said he couldn't miss school for it and said "I was just as bad as the adults destroying the planet" So I relented.
I was very suprised at the mix of people that was there, teenagers - obviously, old people, young people and everything inbetween, farmers, doctors, and even bikies with tattoos and leather vests, environmentalists, every day mum and dads, men in suits. The contrast couldn't be starker, this really is an issue that people from all walks of life are upset about.