Right now: Furious over the absence of action on climate change to protect our future, students involved in the National School Strike for Climate Action are joining First Nations leaders, youth and climate experts to hold a peaceful occupation of approximately 100 people in the foyer of Federal Parliament House in Canberra.
In approximately one hour, a press conference will be held outside the Parliament House general public entrance. Organisers and participants will join with members of the #StopAdani alliance to provide further comment.
“As young people, we are fighting for our lives. Politicians are failing to do their job, and we’re at Parliament today forcing them to face up to the impacts of climate change we’re experiencing right now and demand they stop Adani’s dangerous coal mine,” high school student Nosrat Fareha, 15, said.
“While politicians here in Canberra are approving toxic new fossil fuel projects, we are suffering the consequences,” Millie Telford of the Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network said today.
“We’ve had enough of being polite about this, our politicians don’t represent us anymore, they represent the coal lobby. You have a choice to make: stand with us and stop the Adani mine, or we’ll be everywhere you go, everywhere you look and we’ll see you at the ballot box next election,” Gemma Borgo-Caratti, National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition said.
Those at the forefront of today’s action, involving 100 people, are telling stories of the diverse impacts that burning coal and climate change are having for people here and now: from extreme heat and bushfires, to sea level rise, and loss of connection to culture and history. Our demands include:
● No more coal and gas: that means stopping the Adani mine
● Switch Australia to 100% clean energy by 2030
“I’m here today because people from my community don’t want Adani’s mine to go ahead. Queensland is literally on fire with unprecedented bushfires and extreme heat, fuelled by mining and burning of coal. In Townsville, we need jobs that are sustainable and don’t compromise our safety or the places we love,” Tully Bowtell-Young, 14, of Townsville said.
“Over two million Australians have taken action in the #StopAdani campaign. They know how much is at stake for the people and places we love if this mine were to go ahead, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to stop it,” Gemma Borgo-Caratti said
Action coordinators from the Australian Youth Climate Coalition highlighted the network of volunteers nationwide committed to keeping up pressure on all side of politics until demands are met.
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