Tens of thousands of students across the country are expected to strike for climate justice today.
More than 15 events have been organised so far nationwide by School Strike 4 Climate NZ and Fridays for Future groups in cities such as Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch but also in smaller townships such as Featherston, Kātaia and Wānaka.
The message from students: "As the planet heats up, so do we."
Students in Wellington will arrive in Civic Square at 11.00am and march to Parliament where there will be speeches, as well as a special panel of students voicing their opinions around climate-themed issues.
"Every time we strike, we say the same thing: Empty promises aren't good enough. We need
meaningful policies and massive changes to our society for us to meet our goals of carbon
neutrality by 2050," SS4C Organiser Isla Ramsden said.
"It's not just enough to make promises. If we want to have a livable future, we need promises to become a reality, and right now, we aren't seeing the level of urgency that we would like to see from the Government."
The school students are demanding a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 without relying on offsets and enable a 100 percent transition to regenerative agriculture by 2030. They also want the Government to prioritise Te Tiriti-centred climate justice and lower the voting age to 16.
There have been numerous school strikes throughout New Zealand over the years.
"Thousands of students and adults alike have repeatedly shown the Government that they are
concerned about climate action and their future by continuing to strike. Why aren't the wishes
of so many New Zealanders being listened to?" SS4C organiser Frankie Huthnance said.
In March, thousands gathered for the annual School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C) outside of school times.
