The Global Climate Strike

Everyone has been buzzing about this Friday’s Global Climate Strike. There’s already almost 20k Instagram posts about it tagged, #globalclimatestrike. On Friday, September 20th, millions of people around the world of all ages are planning to walk out of school, work, anywhere in order to protest and demand a response from world leaders on climate change. Some businesses, like Amazon, Microsoft, Patagonia, and more have even closed or given their employees time off so that activists are able to protest to save the earth. Additionally, in New York City, the meeting place of the UN Climate Summit, over one million students have been given permission by their public schools to skip classes and attend the protests instead.

It’s truly amazing that what started out as Friday’s for a Future, started by Greta Thunberg, has grown into a world wide protest. Events like these give hope for those truly fighting for a future. They also inspire adults to follow in the footsteps of the historically young people who have started the climate strikes.

Despite all the buzz surrounding this event, you may have missed a few important details about it. 

The Global Climate Strike is actually more than just one Friday. Although it kicks off on September 20th, it will continue on until the 27th. 

The start date (September 20th) was chosen for a few reasons specifically:

1. The first UN Youth Climate Summit begins on September 21st and is a chance for young leaders, like Thunberg, to speak on climate issues.
2. UN Climate Summit begins on the 23rd of September and will be spoken at by multiple heads of government from around the world. 
3. To build off the already established Fridays for a Future

António Guterres, the secretariat of the United Nations, has ferociously backed the efforts of the young people organizing and protesting for the Global Climate Strike. Guterres has invited Thunberg to speak at the Summit, while contrarily denying Australia, Japan, and South Africa the opportunity to speak because of their continued support and use of the coal industry. Interestingly, China and India, who have the most planned and proposed coal power plants in the world are still allowed to speak at the Summit despite extensive pressure that has been put on them to reduce coal energy. The United States is also denied the opportunity to speak at the Summit as a result of President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Treaty in 2017. Despite practically every other country in the world being a part of the Paris Treaty, the United States does not plan on re-entering, and have likely inspired other countries like Brazil and Saudi Arabia to consider withdrawing as well since they have continually criticized the agreement. 

However, young people like Thunberg, and adult leaders like Guterres who do not and will not give up on the constant fight for climate change provide hope for change and a future for generations to come. The fight for climate change does not have to stop with government leaders and well known students though, anyone can protest for climate change. Every additional voice adds up and the more people who start demanding change the harder it is for leaders to ignore their cries.