Press Release: Global Climate Strikes in 117 Countries

With two weeks to go until the September 20th climate strikes roll out across the world, there are over 2,500 events registered.

Photo: The Quint

Press Release:

Global Climate Strikes to Take Place in 117 countries

• With two weeks to go until the September 20th climate strikes roll out across the world, there are over 2,500 events registered.
• This comes as Greta Thunberg joins New York youth climate strikers for her second strike outside the United Nations today.
• Momentum for the strikes has been building across the world as strikers pledge to take action during the week of climate strikes and action around the UNSG summit being held in New York, September 2019.
• A broad coalition of grassroots organisations including Fridays for Future, NGO’s, unions, businesses, scientists, teachers, faith leaders and celebrities will take to the streets to demand urgent action to stop climate breakdown.

A representative for Fridays for the Future said: “The Global Climate Strikes are fast approaching. Time is running out to implement the changes we need to tackle the climate crisis and create a better world. Youth strikers have called for adults to stand with them and support their demands for climate justice. Now is that moment.”

Singer Billie Eilish released a new single this week and called on people to take to the streets to support the global climate strikes.

“Right now there are millions of people all over the world begging our leaders to pay attention, our earth is warming up at an unprecedented rate, icecaps are melting, our oceans are rising, our wildlife is being poisoned and our forests are burning. On September 23rd, the UN will host the 2019 Climate Action Summit to discuss how to tackle these issues. The clock is ticking. On Friday September 20th and Friday September 27th you can make your voice be heard. Take it to the streets.”

Singer Billie Eilish

As well as the global climate strikes, events during the week include the The Peoples' Summit on Climate and the Rights and Human Survival – the first ever global summit on human rights and climate change, that will be hosted by leading civil society groups and the UN Human Rights Office in New York, on 18-19 September.

“Climate breakdown is one of the greatest human rights issues we face. Fighting climate breakdown is about much more than emissions and scientific metrics it’s about fighting for a just and sustainable world that works for all of us. We need to start by phasing out fossil fuels, building real and long lasting solutions and prioritizing the communities at the frontline of the climate crisis” May Boeve, Executive Director, 350.org.

The first ever widespread global blackout will also be taking place with many organisations and businesses planning to stop business as usual by shutting down their websites and redirecting them to the global climate strikes website.

In New York City, the strike on September 20th will be led by youth strikers including Greta Thunberg, who arrived in the city to take part in the UNSG summit. The week long movement will surround the UN Climate Summit being held on the 23rd of September, which will gather world leaders in an attempt to accelerate real actions to implement the Paris Agreement and meet the climate challenge.

Whilst the UN meets to discuss taking urgent action on climate breakdown, activists are planning to target the global oil and gas CEOs conference that will be taking place in New York on the same day as the UNSG summit.

The climate strikes movement inspired by teenager Greta Thunberg has spread rapidly across the world in the last 12 months. Strikers are demanding that governments step up to take urgent action to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown by phasing out fossil fuels, and accelerating the urgent transition to a sustainable, renewable energy powered future with climate justice and equity at its core.

• Quotes

"We strike so that in the United Nations meeting, when they speak, it is with our beliefs on their tongues. We strike so that when they raise their hands to vote, it is with the weight of our vision hanging from the tips of their fingers. We strike so that when they stand, it will be with the might of the youth, the workers, and the people." Evan Meneses, School Strike for Climate Australia

'I am helping organize the strike because I want to unite people of all different backgrounds in the fight against climate change,” Sabirah Mahmud, organizer, Sunrise Movement US.

The climate crisis is a human issue – affecting all of us. We are inspired by the youth activists who have led a global movement, and Patagonia is calling for urgent and decisive action for people and our home planet. On Friday, September 20th, we will be walking out of our stores, striking with the youth activists and calling for our government to take action. There is no room in governments for climate deniers and their inaction is killing us. We invite the business community and all those concerned about the fate of our planet and humankind to answer with actions and join us,” Rose Marcario, President & CEO, Patagonia.

“As people of faith, we say that we believe in love, in compassion, in justice - then it follows that we must join this strike as surely as dawn follows the deepest darkness. Our children are calling to us. We must respond,” Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith.

“We want our children to get involved at an early age, to learn about the impacts that the fossil fuel industry has on our islands and encourage them to be innovative and resilient in addressing a global crisis - which they have sadly inherited,” Paula Leo, a Pacific Climate Warrior from Vanuatu.

"When Greta and the young people from Fridays for Future call for adults to support the global strike, we understand this to be a call to trade unions, workers councils and employees to get involved and fight for climate action and future-oriented jobs. We want to make a contribution so that September 20th is a turning point in the struggle for a fairer and more ecological society. We call on all colleagues to be creative so that trade unions and workers can become an active part of the climate movement," Helmut Born, United Services Union, Germany.

350.org is supporting the global climate strikes.

We have a large list of strikers and influencers from across the globe who are available for quotes, interviews and background information

We will also have videographers and photographers in key locations across the globe and can provide images and footage for press. ( locations below)

• Locations

Asia :

New Delhi - India

Jakarta - Indonesia

Manila - Philippine

Tokyo - Japan

North America :

New York - US

Washington DC - US

San Francisco - US

Oregon, Portland - US

Central & Latin America :

Mexico City - Mexico

Bogotá - Colombia

Santiago - Chile

Oceania & Pacific :

Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, - Australia

Suva - Fiji

South Tarawa and Betio Islands - Kiribati

Bourail - New Caledonia

Auckland and Wellington - New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

Republic of the Marshall Islands

Apia - Samoa

Western Province - Solomon Islands

Tokelau

Tonga

Funafuti - Tuvalu

Port Vila - Vanuatu

Europe :

London - UK

Berlin - Germany

Paris - France

EECCA :

Kyiv - Ukraine

St Petersburg - Russia

Africa :

Johannesburg - South Africa

San Pedro - Côte D’Ivoire

Nairobi - Kenya

(The content and statements in the above press release are not attributable to Quintillion Media Pvt Ltd and do not represent the editorial views of The Quint. The Press Release section is a non-editorial platform for individuals/establishment/firm/business enterprise.)