Focus: Interview with Wellington Girls' College student Oli Morphew as the students gathered in Civic Square for their march to Parliament
/ Mark Mitchell
Students brought the centres of New Zealand's major cities to a standstill today as they marched to protest inaction in combating climate change.
Thousands of children - even pre-schoolers –took to the streets up and down the country for the second Strike 4 Climate.
Young Wellingtonians marched on Parliament todemand more be done for the climate.
Tejal Shania Kala, Hanna Baldwin, Nicola Edger - all 17 - at the school climate strike in Wellington. Photo / Devon Bolger
National, Green, Labour and Opportunities party representatives met the students on Parliament steps.
Sacred Heart College student, Rachel Collins, told the crowd they want the Government to declare a climate emergency.
Collins said Government's target of reducing net emissions to zero by 2050 wasn't ambitious enough.
"The land can't work for us - we need to work for her. We need to look after her, we need to plant trees, we need to reduce the amount of waste we're putting out there," she said.
Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick thanked the student protestors for striking today.
Swarbrick told the crowd they were right to think the Government wasn't doing enough to save the environment.
"You cannot let them get away with this and I thank all of you for what you're doing to force this place to wake the hell up," she said.
Wellington students arrive at Parliament. Photo / Devon Bolger
Students lay down on Queen Street in Auckland, to symbolise the need for people to wake up to climate change, before gathering in Aotea Square.
Students on the climate march on the way to Parliament this morning. Photo / Devon Bolger
A sign on the climate march in Wellington this morning. Photo / Devon Bolger
Striking students gathered in Wellington's Civic Square before their climate protest march to Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Ten-year-old Toby says he was excited to be part of the protest and classmate, Noah, says they've been talking a lot at school about the threat of climate change.
Muslim community member Zahra Hussaini opened the climate protest in Christchurch, reading a poem to those gathered.
The last protest in Cathedral Square was called to a sudden halt, as the mosque shooting unfolded in the city.
Almost 1000 students re-gathered in the city centre this afternoon.
Student Climate Strike march on Queen Street, central Auckland. Photo / Annabel Reid
Ministers Eugenie Sage and Megan Wood came out to show their support, with Sage accepting a list of the student's demands
Thousands of Strike 4 Climate students gathered at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Environment Canterbury councillor, Lan Pham, addressed the students, acknowledging they've failed the next generation.
