Caroline Lucas to join student march over climate change

Brighton MP Caroline Lucas is to join more than a hundred students and schoolchildren during a Youth Strike 4 Climate march through the city this Friday (February 15).
Students preparing for the  Youth Strike 4 Climate march SUS-190213-164033001Students preparing for the  Youth Strike 4 Climate march SUS-190213-164033001
Students preparing for the Youth Strike 4 Climate march SUS-190213-164033001

The Green MP will address students at the Clock Tower as they take part in a coordinated day of national action protesting the Government’s failure to slash emissions in line with targets to keep global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees.

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Caroline LucasCaroline Lucas
Caroline Lucas

Ms Lucas said: “Our children recognise that this is a climate emergency. They are striking this week because they know we cannot carry on as normal.

“Young people are watching as droughts, floods and storms devastate communities across the globe every day. They are watching as thousands of species go extinct. And they are watching the adults who run the world carry on as normal.

“Thousands of young people from across the UK are expected to ditch school to attend similar rallies, which call on the government to recognise their role in contributing towards climate change and declare a climate emergency.”

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University of Sussex student Mary-Jane Farrell, who helped organise the strike in Brighton, said: “The ability for people of all ages to come together and stand up for something, that is important to us.”

Inspired by the actions of 16-year-old schoolgirl Greta Thunberg, who held a solo demonstration outside of the Swedish parliament last year, the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement also demands that the national voting age be brought down from 18 to 16 and that the national curriculum be reformed in order to address the ecological crisis.

Ms Lucas said that teachers were working hard to prepare students for a future that was now at serious risk.

She said: “It’s inspiring that this generation is already taking action to build a fairer, safer world. Those in government now must follow their lead.”

The strike will meet at the Brighton Clock Tower at 11am, before proceeding with a march through the city.