Scenes From the Student-Led Global Climate Strike
Today, students in dozens of international cities took part in the Global Climate Strike, a worldwide rally that saw hundreds of thousands of youth protest government inaction in tackling climate change. Students walked out of classrooms in more than 100 countries in support of the movement, aiming to draw attention to their respective countries’ failure to slash emissions and curb—and in some cases even acknowledge—the true threat of global warming.
The demonstrations—there were more than 2,000 events in total—were inspired by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist who first started skipping class almost weekly to stage protests against climate inaction. Now her movement has caught on and spread across continents, via the coordinated walkouts. Gatherings today ranged from smaller protests in India, where 200 children walked out of classes in Delhi, to larger displays in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Italy, South Africa, and many other countries.
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Photo: Getty ImagesThe time for action is certainly now: Considering President Donald Trump’s continuing disregard for global warming in the U.S., which is responsible for a huge percentage of the world’s fossil-fuel emissions, not to mention the dire United Nations climate report claiming a global crisis could occur as soon as 2040, a call for change—and one on a worldwide scale—is needed more than ever. It seems natural that today’s students are leading that charge, following last year’s student-led March for Our Lives against gun violence. Children and teenagers are using their voices for social change and refusing to be passive in responding to how their countries approach key issues.
Below, some scenes from the Global Climate Strike around the world:
Switzerland
United States
South Africa
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Belgium
Croatia
Austria
India
Germany
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