First NZ School Strike 4 Climate action since covid

Tāmaki Makaurau - For the first time since the covid pandemic struck a year ago, School Strike 4 Climate is back, demanding climate action around the country on April 9.

New Zealand school students with support from the wider community will stage their first post-covid inter-generation strike appealing for a cleaner Kiwi and global future.

Backed by 80,000 people who rallied on September 27, 2019, students and older adults are ready to take another stand. Even though the covid 19 crisis is still having a major impact on lives, so too is the climate crisis.

New Zealand’s Pacific Island neighbours are sinking further into the sea, and 2020 brought with it drought and high temperatures across Aotearoa, strike organiser Jack Barlow says.

Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) has had water restrictions since early 2020 and the climate calamity is showing no sign of slowing down.

Barlow, 16, a year-13 student at Western Springs College, says covid has shown Kiwis can rise to crises.

“We need to see the same urgency and ambition, which we’ve been praised around the world, to now be applied to the climate crisis.

“We will continue to fight for climate justice until we see a real, tangible, and ambitious change from our leaders. We will continue to strike because we’ve seen bold leadership in the face of one crisis -  and need it with this one.

“Our covid recovery provides a unique opportunity to rethink the way we do things. All of our investments need to be future-focussed, showing climate-resilience.”

Christina Sieberhagen, 15, a year-12 student at Northcote College and a School Strike 4 Climate spokesperson says covid safety is New Zealand’s current number one priority.

“Our strike will only take place if we are at alert level one. There will also be QR codes on the day and on social media and we strongly encourage everyone to sign-in using the NZ covid tracer app.

“It’s time to put the pressure back on local and central government to deliver bold climate action. Current climate legislation is not going to be enough to save us,” Sieberhagen says.

‘We need adults to strike with us. We are high school students trying to navigate an adult world and we cannot face this existential problem by ourselves.”

Universities, businesses and other organisations are expected to join the School Strike 4 Climate NZ action across the country.

For further information contact Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188