We will be striking again for climate change
OPINION: Students are taking to the streets, beaches and parks on 27 September , and we're inviting everyone to join us. That's right, this is an intergenerational issue, and you're all invited to put pressure on politicians worldwide to pass bills which will take action to reduce the impacts of climate change. I know, you're probably thinking "again, really?" and so are we. You'd think millions of people marching, rallying, lobbying, protesting and even a couple climbing buildings would be enough to get governments worldwide to actually treat this issue as a crisis, but apparently it's not. So we're going again. We want our government and governments worldwide to do everything in their power to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by ending the use of fossil fuels and investing in a regenerative and renewable economy. Additionally, we are asking the government to acknowledge the severity of climate change and declare a climate emergency. On 24 May , we walked out of school alongside hundreds of thousands of students around the globe. We won't sit and watch our futures disintegrate, and we invite you to join us to strengthen our movement. That's you, reading this column; that's the next person you talk to; that's the waiter who gives you your coffee and the woman sitting in front of you in the car/bus/train, it really is everyone. READ MORE: * We have to protest to get attention * How Nelson businesses can take climate change action * Kids, don't let climate grief stop you looking forward to the future * Meet Stuff's guest editor: 17-year-old climate change activist Mia Sutherland * How not to solve the issue: Why climate change strikes won't do anything * The climate change crisis is caused by our separation from nature * Art and climate roadshow tackles the big stuff Climate change isn't just a youth problem, even though it'll hit us the hardest. It's everyone's problem. Everyone has a responsibility to act, in both practical ways and through joining the strike movement on 27 September. If you have a child, niece, nephew or young person you care about, it's your problem. Do you think they look into their future and imagine travelling to various islands and cities, bays and beaches? Or do they wonder if the sea will have swallowed them by the time they're your age? If you live by the coasts, climate change is your problem. The projection of the impacts of climate change on New Zealand is further coastal erosion and increased flooding. You can also expect more frequent saltwater contamination of drinking water sources. If you own a farm, climate change will be an issue for your business. Hotter summers means water demand will increase, soil will be lacking moisture, and "there are likely to be costs associated with changing land-use activities to suit a new climate". I know you probably feel blamed for a lot when it comes to climate change, but you have just as much of a right to demand more responsible and urgent action from the government on climate change as everyone else, and you should expect them to work with you. If you like swimming in rivers, if you enjoy winter and mugs of hot chocolate, if you enjoy hearing birdsong, if you work in an office, if you're a keen fisherman, if you live in a small town, if you drink a long black or a flat white or no coffee at all: climate change is your problem. In short, it's everyone's problem. But the best part is that, if you choose to, you can help make the change. Everyone can make a change, no matter who they are, how much money they have, or where they're from. Applying pressure on Parliament is one of the most powerful things you can do in the fight against climate change. We can and already have been a part of the pressure pushing the Zero Carbon Bill through Parliament. Territorial authorities have played their part by declaring a climate emergency. It is undeniable that the strikes are working, and they can succeed if you choose to make the change. This is everyone's problem, so it's time for us all to start acting like it. Join us on 27 September.