Students march in thousands for Climate Action

» Oisín Mac Cann

“The global student strike was called by 16-year-old schoolgirl Greta Thunberg who began striking outside the Swedish Parliament last August, gathering incredible momentum internationally.” – Oisín McCann

Several thousand students have taken to the streets across Ireland to march for climate justice, in what is expected to be part of the largest climate protest in history.

Thousands assembled at Customs House Quay to march for Climate Justice today.

Crowds in their hundreds and thousands have assembled in Belfast, Donegal, Galway, Cork, with an estimated crowd of ten thousand in Dublin.

The global student strike was called by 16-year-old schoolgirl and Climate activist Greta Thunberg, who began striking outside the Swedish Parliament last August, gathering incredible momentum internationally.

The message from the thousands of protesters was clear.

Across the world, millions of climate justice activists led by the student movement are taking to the streets, with large scale protests in Sydney, New York, Melbourne, London and parts of Asia.

Speaking today in support of students striking for climate change, Sinn Féin spokesperson for Climate Action David Cullinane said the number of Irish students striking today in their thousands up and down the country should deliver a clear and powerful message to the Irish Government that Ireland's inaction on climate change won’t be tolerated by our younger generations.

The Waterford TD told An Phoblacht that today’s direct action being taken by students across the island should send a very clear signal to the Government that younger generations have recognised the critical issues facing their generation and have decided to make their voices heard.

“Climate change needs to be tackled in a progressive way that combines social justice and fairness with the obvious environmental needs”, he said.

“For the last decade, the EU and Ireland’s approach to climate change has failed by allowing big polluters a cheap way out. It’s time we stopped big oil and gas companies having free reign in the European Parliament and ended their influence on Climate Change policy.

 “That means acknowledging that those who contribute the least to climate change are the ones who suffer its gravest consequences and the burden of tackling climate change must be distributed proportionately.”