Greta Thunberg, "a 16-year-old climate activist with Asperger [syndrome]", first staged a school strike for the climate in front of the Swedish parliament in August last year. Since then, the Sweedish schoolgirl has been missing lessons regularly on Fridays to stage school strikes in order to fight climate change.
With her dedication, she has been nominated by three Norwegian MPs as a candidate to receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. “We have proposed Greta Thunberg because if we do nothing to halt climate change, it will be the cause of wars, conflict and refugees, said Norwegian Socialist MP Freddy Andre Ovstegard to AFP news agency. If she were to win, she would be the youngest recipient since Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, who was 17 when she received the prize.
She continued to gain international attention after speaking at the UN Climate Talks in Poland in December and at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.
"On climate change, we have to acknowledge that we have failed," she told global economic leaders in Davos.
Inspired by the 16-year-old Sweedish activist, thousands of schoolchildren are expected to strike again against climate change. The school strikes were inspired by the Fridays For The Future movement started by Greta Thunberg under the hashtag #FridaysForFuture.
Now, students are putting their collective voices together in a coordinated global school walkout, called Youth Strike 4 Climate. So far, strikes are planned in almost 1,700 towns and cities in over 100 different countries. Here are some of the youth activists who tell their motivations and hopes for the future.
Toby Thorpe, Australia
17-year-old Toby Thorpe has organized a strike in Tasmania because he wants to ensure that future generations will experience the island's natural beauty and clean air. Thorpe believes the government has not done enough to embrace new forms of clean energy. He also believes that most Australians back the striking students' efforts. "No matter what your political beliefs, climate change is an issue that affects us all."
"We have the money and the experts. We should transition to renewable energy right now," he says.
Seo-gyung Kim, South Korea
17-year-old Seo-gyung Kim says adults are passing the climate change "burden" to future generations. Kim believes that South Koreans are not doing enough to tackle climate change because they assume it is a problem for the future — not for now. With a concern for marine pollution, the high school student came to climate change activism via nuclear power protests. She encountered Youth for Climate Action and joined the group as a volunteer to raise public awareness.
"I don't understand why my government is not investing more in the renewable energy sector but is still investing in coal-powered plants," she says.
Shaama Sandooyea, Mauritius
22-year-old Shaama Sandooyea organized the first climate strike in Mauritius as the nation is in the grips of climate change. The nation is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels and some people have lost their homes, while storm surges have devastated sections of coastline. Sandooyea, who is studying for a degree in marine environmental sciences, credits her education for inspiring her activism.
"What is the purpose of education if ... those who have the power to make a difference, are not listening to us?" she says, expressing her frustration of political inaction.
Scarlet Possnett, United Kingdom
15-year-old Scarlet Possnett feels frustrated that as a teenager she cannot vote on climate-related issues. She joined the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) in January and started organizing strikes across the country. With other UKCSN activists, Possnett wrote an open letter calling on the UK government to declare a national climate emergency, to lower the voting age to 16 and include climate change in the national curriculum.
“It is impossible not to notice climate change — something that terrifies my generation — which we will have to deal with the rest of our lives," she says.
Alexandria Villasenor, United States
13-year-old Alexandria Villasenor strikes outside the UN headquarters in New York City during the polar vortex. Became aware of the devastating impacts of climate change at the age of 8, Villasenor’s experiences of climate change and Thunberg's speech at the UN climate summit inspired her to become an activist. Every Friday, Villasenor strikes against global climate inaction for 14 weeks now, because she believes that curbing global warming is possible.
"I'm upset with how world leaders are treating the climate crisis. [The youth] need to make sure that people in power start taking action because we don't have time to wait until we can," she says.
Source: BBC News, CNN