Students around the world are striking on Friday, September 20 for the Global #ClimateStrike, organised by the School Stroke 4 Climate movement.
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The date was chosen to coincide with the United Nations Emergency Climate Summit in New York on September 23.
Lani Bedforth, a year 11 student at St Clare's High School Taree, is one of the organisers of a strike taking place at Fotheringham Park in Taree on Friday from 9am to 11am. She is urging everyone, not just students, to join them in their protest.
"We want to clarify that everyone can and should attend a local Climate Strike event next Friday - from little kiddos to adults," Lani said.
"We are all coming together for the same reason: our growing concern at the state of our environment and the little care our politicians are showing for our future.
"Yes, it is a school climate strike but we welcome support from everyone in the community. Please encourage your children to attend as well, because missing one day of learning won't be a concerning factor when our environment and our world have been destroyed!"
Some local businesses are supporting the students by signing up at the website www.notbusinessasusual.com.au and encouraging staff to attend their local Global Climate Strike event. Not Business As Usual is an alliance of around 1180 businesses and organisations encouraging their workers to participate next Friday.
"As a small business owner, I feel that it is important to let the youth of our area know that we are behind them 100 per cent," Aspen Charlesworth of Mid-Coast Honey said.
"We will be striking on September 20 and encourage other local businesses to do the same."
On Friday, strikers in cities and towns across Australia will be urging the Federal government to commit to:
- No new coal, oil and gas projects
- 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030
- Funding a just transition and job creation for all fossil-fuel industry workers and communities
Other Global #ClimateStrike events taking place on the Mid Coast are at The Hub, Shop 1, Sundek Plaza, 15 Wallis St, Forster, from 3.30-5.30pm, and outside the Art Gallery, Gloucester, 10am-11am.