'Our future is not guaranteed': Students rally outside Parliament to demand climate action
Children and teenagers from Auckland to Invercargill gathered at Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday, demanding politicians take climate change seriously. Around 150 protestors, ranging from school kids to teachers and other members of the public, came together for the School Strike for Climate NZ 100 Days 4 Action campaign rally. They presented politicians from across the political aisle a list of demands to be acted on in the first 100 days of this parliamentary term, including phasing out fossil fuels, moving to 100 per cent renewable energy sources, and investing in climate education in schools. School Strike for Climate spokesperson Ethan Reille told the crowd that climate change was a global issue which needed to be addressed collectively. READ MORE: * Declarations not enough - urgent action needed now, students say * Young climate strikers plan to walk out of school again * Students march alongside adult supporters for third Thames strike for climate * Crunching the numbers behind the national climate change strike turnout We know the cost of inaction is everything, without a robust response we will lose our homes, our culture. Time was already running out. We know our response must include the team of 5 million, the same way we have done in regard to the pandemic. Seventeen-year-old Abbie Williams said she was at the rally because she would not forgive herself if she had to tell her children and grandchildren she had sat by and done nothing to solve the climate crisis. I think climate change is the biggest threat to our generation, and I think if we dont take action now, nothing is really going to happen. Our future is not guaranteed. It should not be up to the young people to make change. We can go vegan, we can use public transportation, but we are not the ones making the big changes. Marisa Raymond, 17, said MPs consistently said they looked to young people as a sign of hope. But we need a sign of hope from them. It was a kick in the teeth to be praised by politicians for protesting, but to see little action. I know it's going to be so hard, but we need systemic change now. Minister for Climate Change James Shaw told the rally the time for words was over. You have every right to be angry, Im angry. For 30 years, which is more than most of my life, and most of yours combined, governments and businesses have kicked the can down the road, and now we've run out of road. This is the year that weve got to move from talking about doing something about climate change, to actually doing something about climate change. He said a report from the Climate Change Commission, due to be released next week, would shape New Zealands climate response for years to come. Green MP Chloe Swarbrick said it was frustrating to come into a second term and feel like she was having to say the same things she had been saying for the past three years. We will not be able to fix things like the housing crisis, the climate crisis, inequitable access to transport around this country, and around our cities and towns, unless we address economic injustice. National MP Stuart Smith said climate change was a cross-party issue, and Labour MP Ibrahim Omer said the world was already grappling with 60 million politically displaced refugees. We dont want another 60 million ... climate change refugees.