Climate change: Thousands of children skip school to take part in protests

Climate activists across the world want environmental concerns pushed as far up the political agenda as possible.

Tens of thousands of UK school children have been marching on the streets as part of a global climate strike, according to campaigners.

Started by Swedish teenage climate protester Greta Thunberg, the Friday’s for Future movement encourages school children to skip school on Fridays and protest against global governments’ inaction on climate change.

Campaigners say that as well as 120 protests going on in the UK, 3,000 events are taking place in 150 countries.

Climate activists want environmental concerns pushed as far up the political agenda as possible, with groups such as Extinction Rebellion saying the planet is going through a global climate emergency.

Jake Woodier, campaigner with the UK Student Climate Network, said: “The idea is to make sure that there is enough pressure on the electorate and to highlight that this is not any ordinary election, it’s a climate election.

“Over the past year young people have been taking to the streets on a monthly basis to highlight the urgent need for action on the climate crisis.

“This has seen public concern skyrocket, and it’s essential that this concern translates at the ballot box in December.

“We’ve got incredibly limited time to address the climate crisis and the next government will be in charge for five vital years that we can’t afford to lose.”

People have been protesting all over the country in cities such as Cambridge, Leeds and Nottingham. Hundreds of people also gathered in Parliament Square on Friday morning as part of the strikes, including 12-year-old Niamh, her 10-year-old brother Finn and dad Simon.

Talking about the protests, Niamh said: “It’s not fair. It’s going to affect my generation who won’t know what a polar bear is.

“If we’re off school it will make a difference. I think the government is doing a bit but we’re being idiots about it.”

Her father added: “I think it’s good to get them involved and be socially aware, to get involved to fix this for everyone.”

The UK Student Climate Network says that although most people who turn up are children, they are seeing an increasing number of adults joining in and during the strike in Westminster, the youngsters were joined by other groups shouting “where the f*** are the government?”

It comes a day after Channel 4’s climate change debate, between the leaders of Labour, The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, The Green Party and the SNP.

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Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage did not appear and were represented by ice sculptures which were left to melt under the studio lights.

The Conservatives have since complained to Ofcom about sculpture after Michael Gove’s participation in the debate in Mr Johnson’s place was refused by the broadcaster.

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