School strike for climate

LOCAL school students will strike as part of their efforts to save the planet from the impacts of climate change.

Hundreds of students from across the Surf Coast, Bellarine and Geelong are expected to descend on Geelong’s Johnstone Park at 11am tomorrow (Friday, 21 May) for the local incarnation of the national School Strike for Climate (‘SS4C’) protest.

Geelong rally organiser Neo Williams said students were forced to strike because the government wasn’t listening to them and was not taking their future seriously.

“If people want to see change, they need to make their voice heard,” Mr Williams said.

“Climate change is the greatest threat to our way of life and living standards ever seen.”

The Year 12 student said climate change was increasing the risk of flooding, heavy rainfall and coastal erosion across the Bellarine and Surf Coast and that SS4C is calling on the government to act urgently.

“Without immediate federal intervention, thousands more jobs and homes all around our coastal region will be lost.”

As part of their list of demands the group does not want to see any new fossil fuel projects approved and they want to see Queensland’s controversial Adani mine scrapped.

“We also want to see 100 per cent renewable energy on the Australian grid by 2030.”

Around Australia more than 350,000 students are expected to participate across 50 locations.

The SS4C Australia movement was started by students from Castlemaine in 2018 who were inspired by Greta Thunberg’s weekly strikes outside Swedish Parliament.

It has grown into one of the biggest movements in Australian history. In a statement to the Times, the SS4C group said the government needed to do more to support the renewable sector.

“The Morrison Government could be protecting our climate, land and water, and creating thousands of new jobs by growing Australia’s renewable energy sector and backing First Nations solutions to protect Country,” the statement said.

“Instead, they are lining the pockets of multinational gas companies, which are fuelling the climate crisis, devastating our land and water, wrecking our health, and creating very few jobs.”

Event participant Elizabeth Lewis said the strike will include speakers representing First Nations peoples and young and working people.

“It’s a great cause, direct activism on a local level is crucial,” she said.

The Geelong rally is supported by Victorian and Geelong Trades Hall, Australian Conservation Foundation, and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.