‘Biggest climate protest in history’
Cork city will take part in what is expected to be the biggest climate protest in history this week as students across the globe again take to the streets.
Student organisers and climate campaigners supporting the School Strikes for Climate have announced their plans for Ireland's participation in the Global Climate Strike on Friday 20 September.
Students have organised school strike rallies for ten locations around Ireland, including Cork, Tralee, Dundalk, Dublin, Limerick and Galway.
Adults have signed up to host 60 local support actions in their communities and workplaces for people who can't make the rallies.
Member of Fridays for Future Saoi O’Connor said: “You’ve seen the school strikes movement over the last few months and the massive turnout we’ve been getting.
“It’s not that they’ve (the Government) done nothing, it’s that they’ve done the wrong thing. They’ve declared a climate emergency and then turned around and issued a drilling license for offshore drilling for oil off the Kerry coast. They are not just not acting on the climate crisis, they are actively doing things that are going to make it worse.
“So we need to turn that around ASAP. It’s immensely frustrating. They are hypocritical, but it’s what we expect of them at this point.”
Activism Support Coordinator with the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, Áine O'Gorman said: “On 20 September we hope to empty schools and workplaces and fill the streets with people demanding our Government take climate action more seriously. Our house is on fire - let's act like it.
“We've had a great response to our call for people to organise local actions in support of the school strikes and our volunteers are ready to help anyone who wants to get involved in their community or workplace,” Ms O’Gorman said.
The Global Climate Strike was called by Swedish teen activist, Greta Thurnberg.
Coordinator of the Stop Climate Chaos Coaliton, Oisín Coghlan said: “The Dáil declared a Climate and Biodiveristy Emergency in May but as yet the Government is not acting like it. Just days later they issued new licences to Exxon and the Chinese to search for more oil and gas in Irish waters.”
He continued: “And months later they still haven't sat down with the trade unions to discuss the plight of the workers in the midlands who are facing a disorderly exit from the peat industry becase for 20 years Irish politicians have refused to plan for a just transition away for fossil fuels”
The first international School Strike for Climate in March saw 15,000 young people and their families take to the streets in Ireland, and 1.6 million take part around the world.
The Cork city protestors will assemble on the Grand Parade at 12pm, and the march will begin at 12.20pm.
The student organising groups can be reached via the website schoolsclimateaction.ie
For information on the Global Climate Strike visit the website globalclimatestrike.net.