Next generation speaks up for climate

DOZENS of local students have taken to Geelong streets to call for urgent climate action as part of a global environmental protest.

The School Strike 4 Climate movement reached the steps of Geelong Town Hall last week as young people around the world joined the rally for their political leaders to shift their policies to address the worsening impacts of climate change.

High school and primary school students from across Geelong spoke in front of the town hall crowd about how climate change impacts them before beginning a march through Geelong CBD, with support from adult members of local environment groups.

Secondary school student Lauren delivered the final address and said ongoing climate impacts caused her stress and anxiety.

“There’s 100 seconds until midnight, the stakes are higher than ever, and the world is happy to gamble my future and our future in the hope of winning it big in the short term,” she said.

“I used to believe there was good in humanity but the ticking of the Earth’s biological clock is louder than ever, and we’re still sitting on our ar**s.

“We need big bold climate policies, we know what we need and we need it now.”

Primary school student Sari, aged 12, said her generation couldn’t afford to wait decades before seeing drastic changes in climate policy.

“Our planet is dying and they’re saying everything will be fine by 2050,” she said.

“But by 2050 it will be too late; our planet will be dead, which is why our generation will have to fix everything to make this world a better place.

“People are treating this world like we have another planet ready to go.”