Leeds workers, students, schools, and families are taking charge in the fight against climate change this week.
On Friday, March 25, a "youth takeover" will take place at the University of Leeds as activists believe we need to "act now" in worry for the future of the city. The groups are uniting in response to the newly drafted Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy from the Department for Education, which seeks to stop teachers encouraging their students to join campaign groups or take part in protests.
The protest will be co-hosted by action groups Youth4Climate Leeds and Leeds Uni Climate Coalition between 12 and 1pm, and supported by a variety of institutions and stakeholders who will join for music and speeches on campus. The strike will begin at 12pm on the Parkinson steps at Leeds University, and Youth4Climate will meet supporters at 11.30am at Millenium Square to lead a group rally up to the University.
Read more: Surge in people on benefits in some of Yorkshire's wealthiest areas
The event will be the latest in a much wider campaign led by schools and teachers across the country, who have raised issues with a number of aspects of the Government’s new draft Strategy. Some schools in Leeds have come forward to lend their support to this upcoming climate strike.
Lesley McKay, Headteacher at Moor Allerton Hall Primary School, believes the draft bill represents a real concern to schools like hers and the various student action projects they undertake to support students to feel empowered on topics as diverse as climate, disability and migration.
She said: "The work we do on debate, letters to our MP and in-school climate protests shows our children how to make a positive response to difficult issues. It stops them feeling everything is beyond their control. Instead it allows students to feel they can have their voice heard, and that they are part of shaping the future.”
With climate continuing to be a key concern for youth in particular, Leeds University has been chosen as the location to highlight the campus’ continued use of fossil fuels and gas, three years after the institution committed to net zero.
Hannah, a student from Leeds Uni Climate Coalition, believes there is an important role for youth protests and political engagement to enforce action from institutions. She said: "There is no chance the university can achieve net zero, or real zero, without electrifying their gas power plant as soon as possible and investing in on- and off-site renewables.
"There is never going to be a better time than now to end our reliance on the fossil fuels of tyrants in Russia and Saudi Arabia."
Students from Moor Allerton Hall Primary School spoke out ahead of the Leeds climate strike. Luna said: “My voice is important as I don’t want to grow up in a broken world. This is the tipping point. We need to act now or when we grow up we won’t be able to do anything.”
Nathan said: “This new bill is completely ignoring the voices of children, who will have to inhabit and adapt to the climate problems that may be even more severe in the future. If they don’t allow our generation to speak up, then we’ll be less compelled to do so as adults. We need everyone’s ideas now more than ever.”
Ava said: “If I could change anything in the world, I would make the government listen more to children and adults about Black Lives Matter, the climate and everything they feel strongly about.”
