Millions take part in global climate strikes

In the UK, children will be walking out of classes to join the protests and hundreds of thousands of workers will be joining them. Climate strikes are due to take place in several areas of London, along with Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast and more.

The first of the climate strikes began in Sydney and Canberra, Australia, with an estimated 300,000 people attending 100 rallies across the country. There are 800 rallies planned in the US and over 400 in Germany, while over 100 cities in Italy will be holding protests.

The strikes are taking place ahead of next week's UN General Assembly, which includes a climate action summit, to be held on 23 September.

The climate strikes have been inspired to a great extent by the actions of 16 year-old Greta Thunberg, a young Swedish climate campaigner, who began skipping lessons to hold her own solo protests outside the Swedish parliament building. Her actions have brought her global fame.

Whilst the protests happening around the world today don't bring about change by themselves, they are helping to create a context in which politicians around the world can feel comfortable about discussing and implementing changes in their countries' environmental policies that will help to combat climate change.

Photo: Triumph0828/depositphotos.com

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