‘I prioritise my future over anything’: Student striker protests climate inaction

A teenage climate activist has told Sky News she prioritises her future “over anything” and sees little purpose in attending school when the Morrison government is not committed to providing young Australians with a “safe future.” Thousands of school children will gather in capital cities around Australia today to protest against climate inaction. School Strike 4 Climate organisers are demanding the Morrison government stop investing in gas and coal fired power and commit more money to renewable energies. One student striker spoke to Sky News this morning, saying the current action on climate change was “ineffective” as the Morrison government drives more money into gas. “It’s simply not good enough because we are still headed toward and further into the climate crisis,” Natasha Abhayawickrama said. Asked why students were protesting during school hours, Ms Abhayawickrama said they needed to “make a scene”. “We’ve made petitions, we’ve sent letters to parliament, we’ve protested on the weekends and after school and we’ve clearly seen that it’s just not effective and that we aren’t being heard and acknowledged. “In order to create an impact we do need to create a disturbance. “If they’re not going to provide us a safe future, like what’s the point in going to school and learning when we know that our future is not going to be a safe one to live in? “I prioritise my future over anything.” The 16-year-old was also pressed on whether climate activism could have a harmful effect on young children and create a sense of climate-anxiety. “I don’t think we’re creating any extra anxiety, the science and the facts … create enough trauma,” she responded. “The current action that is being taken is not good enough and they’re [government] subsiding the fossil fuel industry and driving it so we’re actually heading backwards, Australia is very far behind many other countries.”

from Breaking National News and Australian News | Daily Telegraph https://ift.tt/344N4jL