Sep 20 Strike for Climate Action: When the World Stood With Greta Thunberg

In 2018, a young schoolgirl from Sweden stood outside the Swedish parliament every Friday to call for climate action. Today, she has done something that others have so far failed. She has inspired thousands of children from all over the world to join her and unitedly ask the authorities to do more than just provide lip service for the environment. She is Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg.

The teenager has started what could be termed as a peaceful yet powerful non-cooperation movement. Reports from all over the world including Australia, Japan, Philippines, Vanuatu are pouring in and shows people on the streets demanding better action to save their environments.

In Vanuatu, the deputy prime minister reportedly mentioned US, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand as countries “to blame for this threat to our survival”.

In Manila, the sound of drums marked the opening of the climate strike march.

Various reports emanating from Australia show an unprecedented number of people queuing up to show support and participate in #ClimateStrike. The organizers of the School Strike For Climate have estimated more than 300,000 people took to the streets across Australia today.

In Sydney and Melbourne, crowds were estimated at 80,000 to 150,000 respectively, making them the biggest demonstrations since the Iraq war. In Tasmania, 22,000 marchers made it the biggest strike action the state had ever seen.

Reports from Japan come as a surprise as the Japanese have so far been low-key in showing support for climate change despite facing the brunt of climate-induced typhoons and storms that have been affecting its people and infrastructure. While adults have been reluctant, children have come forward to participate in the #ClimateStrike.

Protests in the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and many more also will continue throughout the day.

Closer home, as the day begins in India, there are reports that 80 cities in the country will hold protests to show support to Greta’s climate strike today. To find out where the strikes are held click below on the tweet or here to know more.

In the world of climate deniers, Greta has become the unifying face for all the students and people from all walks of life to demand action from politicians who have done far less than required to curb pollution, carbon emissions and avert climate change. We hope that the protest will finally open the eyes of governments, fossil fuel companies, and climate deniers to sit up and notice what the public opinion is.

With 2030 around the corner, it has become clear that people and governments have to step up and act because the world does not need few perfect climate warriors but billions of imperfect ones to make a difference.

Pic courtesy: Inforum