Our school climate strikes have been a success and we’re only getting started

Extract from The Guardian

Opinion

School climate strikes

Anna Taylor

We’ve forced UK politicians to address the climate crisis but won’t stop until we have a healthy planet

Sat 27 Apr 2019 02.35 AEST Last modified on Sat 27 Apr 2019 02.45 AEST

‘Thousands of people taking positive climate action for the very first time are feeling empowered by bringing their rage and frustration at climate inaction to the streets.’ Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

April has been quite the month for climate action. The organisation I co-founded, the UK Student Climate Network, held its third Youth Strike 4 Climate demonstrations just two weeks ago which for the third month in succession saw tens of thousands take to the streets across the UK demanding climate justice and a Green New Deal. Extinction Rebellion also kicked off a huge act of extended nonviolent civil disobedience by reclaiming public spaces in London and causing widespread disruption to protest climate breakdown. Many hope this could be a crucial turning point in Britain’s political approach to addressing the climate crisis.

Thousands of people taking positive climate action for the very first time are feeling empowered by bringing their rage and frustration at climate inaction to the streets, visibly demonstrating their discontent. Looking at those taking part in all of these actions shows the potential of an emerging group to drive necessary legislative change. At the youth strikes I look around and see today’s brave and courageous climate activists – and tomorrow’s voters. Meanwhile, lots of current voters have been frequenting Marble Arch, Parliament Square and other sites previously occupied by Extinction Rebellion. All of these people, alongside those engaged by TV shows such as Our Planet and Climate Change: The Facts are becoming a new voting demographic: the climate vote bloc.

When we’re shielded from the truths of the climate crisis it’s impossible to understand the gravity of the situation. Both movements are doing fantastic work to make the climate a mainstream issue and help understanding of the crisis we face to spread widely.

The power of grassroots, widespread climate action cannot be underestimated. When ordinary people start to organise among themselves and create communities of resistance in our schools, colleges, universities and neighbourhoods, those in positions of power begin to notice. The emergent climate movements are organising people of all ages to fight for a better world and to take the necessary steps to pressure political leaders to act.
In a moment of beautiful timing – as this climate organising in the UK is coming to a crescendo – the Swedish activist and inspiration for the Fridays For Future movement, Greta Thunberg, arrived for a three-day visit to Britain. Greta’s trip included her taking part in a huge panel discussion on the new climate movement and ways to escalate it, and also delivering a rousing speech in parliament to tell MPs some hard truths about their lack of action. Crucially, there was also historic cross-party climate talks between Westminster leaders.

‘Tens of thousands of young climate activists forced party leaders to acknowledge the gravity of the climate crisis.’ Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

The UK youth strikers Holly Gillibrand, George Bond and myself sat down with Greta, Jeremy Corbyn, Caroline Lucas, Vince Cable, Liz Saville-Roberts and Ian Blackford for the first climate talks of their kind in more a decade. Theresa May’s chair remained empty.

We pushed political leaders to commit to and agree upon some positive first steps to start addressing the climate crisis. Tens of thousands of young climate activists forced party leaders to acknowledge the gravity of the climate crisis, driving home the need to act urgently and collaboratively.
We negotiated with political leaders to commit to climate stress-testing their party manifestos against the Paris agreement, holding regular and continued cross-party talks, supporting and engaging with youth climate assemblies across the UK, and reforming the education system to address the climate crisis, as well as reinforced respective party commitments to votes at 16.
We’ve achieved these victories in just three months. We’re well aware that we need actions and not just words. We know we need to keep pushing for the type of bold and courageous action required to address the climate crisis and make steps toward climate justice. We will keep calling for a Green New Deal in the months to come. The UK Student Climate Network will keep striking to ensure those elected to represent us know we’re holding them to account. We’re tomorrow’s voters and we won’t stop until we have a healthy, livable planet for each and every one of us.

• Anna Taylor, 18, is co-founder of the UK Student Climate Network