Extract from The Guardian
As school students, we can’t vote yet. But it’s us who will have to clean up the mess that our politicians are leaving behind
My
name is Hugh Hunter. I am 15 years old and I live on a farm in Gunnedah
in regional NSW. This Friday, I am joining hundreds of thousands of
students around the world to strike from school and call for urgent
political action to stop the climate crisis.
Our message to politicians is simple: if you care about us, our kids and their kids, then please treat climate change for what it is – a crisis – and take urgent action to stop it.
That means stopping Adani’s monstrous coal mine, saying no to all new fossil fuel projects and rapidly transitioning Australia to 100% renewable energy by no later than 2030.
My principal doesn’t want me to join the strike, and I do see his
point of view. But it wasn’t until I heard about the school strike that I
felt I could do something about the climate crisis. When I walk out
those gates on Friday I will be creating hope for myself and my
generation.Our message to politicians is simple: if you care about us, our kids and their kids, then please treat climate change for what it is – a crisis – and take urgent action to stop it.
That means stopping Adani’s monstrous coal mine, saying no to all new fossil fuel projects and rapidly transitioning Australia to 100% renewable energy by no later than 2030.
I am only at school for another two years but I will be feeling the effects of climate change for the rest of my life.
The climate crisis is not a vague future threat. It is here and it is hurting people right now. The cause of all this is short term thinking.
Our government wants what they think is good for Australia; however, this means profits come first and it seems that not much thought is given to the repercussions and long term impacts.
I have friends and family that work in coal mining, and I don’t want to risk their livelihoods. But our governments must put in place strategies to transition to 100% renewables immediately. We have the sun and the space for renewables – and they don’t risk our water, communities and climate the way that fossil fuels do.
In NSW, 14 new and expanding coal mine projects are in the approvals pipeline. This includes one right near me on the banks of the Namoi River. According to analysis by Lock the Gate these projects would together produce more carbon pollution than Adani’s mega mine proposed for Queensland, and contaminate our valuable water sources. Meanwhile, politicians are discussing the Narrabri Gas Field which is likely to open up our farms to more across the state.
Why are these projects and Adani’s coal mine even up for discussion? Communities like mine are already grappling with climate change. Us young people shouldn’t have to go to bed each night worrying about how much worse off we’ll be if all these new coal and gas projects go ahead.
As school students, we can’t vote yet. But it’s us who will have to clean up the mess that our politicians are leaving behind. This is not fair, and that is why we are striking.
The scientists tell us we have just over a decade to turn the climate crisis around. I will not even be 30 by then. My whole life will be ahead of me, as will the lives of today’s almost 2 billion children.
So on 15 March we strike – in over 50 locations across Australia and over 70 countries around the world. And then we go back to our communities to continue the hard work moving Australia beyond fossil fuels to a brighter future for everyone.
See you at the strike!
• Hugh Hunter is 15 years old and lives in Gunnedah
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