I am writing this article during the week between the two big School Children’s Climate Strikes on 20 and 27 September. I admit that I am impressed with what they have achieved, and hope that they will have stimulated adults sufficiently to pressurise our politicians into making enough changes to achieve zero carbon before it is too late.

I am aware that some adults think that the reason behind the Friday children’s strikes in term-time is merely to get out of school for a day. It may apply to a few, but not the majority.

What follows is from a summary in the weekend i (21–22 Sept.) of a longer opinion article in the 20 Sept. New York Times written by 17 year-old Ms. Jamie Margolin: nyti.ms/2lOmNDN. Ms. Margolin is the founder of Zero Hour.

“I’m 17 years old, and I’ve been a climate justice organiser since I was 14 years old. I started as a community organizer with ‘Plant for the Planet’ in Seattle, giving climate action presentations to middle and high schools, testifying at bill hearings in my state legislature, and lobbying my city council (in 2015) to adopt warning labels on gas [i.e. petrol] pumps.

“My classmates say things like, ‘I never want to have kids because the world will be totally unliveable for them.’ If adults want youth to be studious and pay attention in school to prepare for our futures, then they need to do their jobs to make sure that a future exists for us.

“I am driven by a desire to see the beauty of the world survive and exist not only for me, but for generations that come after.
I am striking because it is pointless to study for a future that does not exist.
I am striking for complete system change.
Will you strike with me?”