Students prepare to strike again

Kerikeri siblings Winter and River Oszajca making their voices heard at a School Strike 4 Climate rally last year. Photo / Peter de Graaf

School Strike 4 Climate NZ will stage its fifth strike on Friday September 4, in support of its demand that the government and councils take "urgent and meaningful action" for the climate and "our collective future."

"We will not back down," a spokesman said last week.

"(We) will continue to make our voices heard until all our demands are met. Our representatives need to show us meaningful and immediate action that safeguards our futures on this planet. Nothing else will matter if we cannot look after the Earth for current and future generations. This is our home."

September 4 would see students across the country leading actions for the purpose of demanding 'climate justice.'

"Climate change puts everything we love at risk. We do still have time to turn this around; we can't let this moment slip away. We must do everything in our power before it is too late," the spokesman added.

"To recognise the significant threat it poses to all our futures, livelihoods and very existence, we are calling on all New Zealanders to join us once again to stand in solidarity on September 4 for urgent action on the climate crisis."

Student strikers would be encouraged to take their parents with them, and the wider community was also urged to get involved.

SS4C claims that no political party is currently doing enough about climate change, and demands that the government, and governments around the world, do everything in their power to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to safeguard their right to a future on Earth.

Specifically it demands that:

* The government invests in building a renewable and regenerative economy via a green Covid response. ("This is the economic relief package of a lifetime, and has the ability to make unprecedented change. We demand that the decisions you make this year in response to Covid-19 show us that you hear the hope, fear and power in our voices. That you are ready to show us you value the people and our planet over power and profit.")

* The government works towards a just transition for all workers who are currently in unsustainable jobs and industries, with immediate investment in retraining and the provision of alternative jobs in clean, sustainable industries that don't harm the ecosystems on which people depend for survival. This must be done through meaningful partnerships with communities, tangata whenua and youth to ensure that no one is left behind.

* In partnership with the Vote Climate 2020 movement, all political parties promise to implement strong climate policies that reflect the science and urgency of the crisis. People are also encouraged to vote with climate change in mind.