Mōrena, and happy April Fool’s Day!
Just over five years ago, one 15-year-old girl, Greta Thunberg, sat alone outside the Swedish Parliament asking for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Since that day Greta’s “School Strike for Climate” has inspired protests and marches in over 260 countries rallying together over 10 million people. Here in Aotearoa, School Strike 4 Climate have taken on Greta’s inspirational mahi and in 2019 their call for action brought together 170,000 people in New Zealand alone - all united in the call for climate action.
The impact of these climate strikes has been monumental. It's not that long ago that the climate crisis was rarely talked about, those who did were seen as doomsayers or crazy environmentalists. These worldwide climate strikes have brought the climate conversation onto the world stage for all politicians to bear witness to, but also into our own homes and communities. We wouldn’t be where we are today where the vast majority of Kiwis want more climate action without these strike events.
This Friday, April the 5th, it’s time to take to the streets again. In response to the current government’s terrifying dismantling of environmental protections and climate policy, School Strike 4 Climate’s demands include:
Keeping the new oil & gas ban (Green Party petition, Kiwis in Climate Petition)
Upholding Te Tiriti (reading guide, more actions soon)
Protections for moana and conservation land
Climate education for all (check out our workshops!)
Humanitarian aid and visas for Palestinians (action here, link to climate here)
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was Transport for All’s submission guide on the government’s new transport policy. If you haven't already, get your submission in before 12pm TODAY.
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Hit the brakes before it becomes a trainwreck
Urgent, due 12pm today: It’s your last chance to have a say on the government’s draft Transport General Policy Statement. Currently, it’s looking like a 10-year plan to defund safe, affordable, low-carbon transport!
Action: Sign the petition and/or write a submission using our guide
🐇 If you have 15 minutes: On the fast track to nowhere good
The government’s Fast Track Bill would give unprecedented power to 3 Ministers to basically do whatever they (or their lobbyists) want with our natural environments - no input from the public required. We need to oppose it before it becomes law, by 19 April.
Action: Sign Forest & Bird’s petition to reject the Fast Track Bill and write a submission using our guide
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: History happens now
Strike this Friday, 20+ locations nationwide: Come to the Climate Strike! We’ve listed a few locations below, but see here for the full list of all strikes: website, Instagram, Facebook events
Auckland: 5:30pm at Albert Park. Optional: 3:30pm trash pickup hīkoi from Dove Myers Park in Parnell to Albert Park rally
Christchurch: 1pm at Bridge of Remembrance
Dunedin: 12pm at Museum Reserve
Nelson: 2pm at Trafalgar Centre Carpark
New Plymouth: 12:30pm at Puke Ariki Landing
Rotorua: 1pm behind Rotorua Skate Park
Whangārei: 1pm at Civic Centre
Wānaka: 1pm at Lismore Park
Wellington: 12pm Civic Square to Parliament at 12:30pm
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy the beautiful music of the Climate Choir Movement. A growing collective in the UK, this group uses their songs to open people’s hearts and minds to the climate message.
See you next week,
Cathy & the Climate Club team
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