Watch: Global Climate Strike Inspired by Activist Greta Thunberg Underway

Thousands of people take part in a protest for climate action on September 20, 2019 in Cap
RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty
Hannah Knudsen

Activists across over 150 countries are participating in an international strike Friday to protest climate change. High profile protesters – such as Greta Thunberg, who helped inspire the student-led protests by starting school walkouts in her hometown – are leading dozens of mass rallies across the United States.

The global strike, set just days before September 23’s U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York, is expected to draw millions of activists, who believe human activity is contributing to climate change and that drastic measures – such as limiting meat consumption, reforming the transportation sector, and banning plastic straws – need to be taken in order to combat the looming threat.

Videos are surfacing from protests across the globe, showing sizable crowds in places like Ireland, Germany, Australia, Uganda, and more:

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn participated in the climate strikes in London and condemned President Trump for pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

“No more of this handholding with Donald Trump,” he told the crowd. “We want every country on board on this”:

There are also climate strikes taking place in major cities across the U.S., including Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, D.C., and New York City. Famed teen activist Greta Thunberg – who sailed to the U.S. in order to avoid making a massive carbon footprint  – will participate in the climate strike in New York City, where over one million students have been given permission to skip class in order to protest climate change:

Many Democrat presidential candidates are praising the effort as protests continue to kick-off across the nation.

“There is nothing more powerful than our nation’s youth marching together, demanding action be taken to protect our planet — and their future,” Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) wrote. “It’s time our leaders listened. #ClimateStrike”:

“Climate change is an existential threat—and we are already facing the effects. The youth-led #ClimateStrike and the solidarity strikes from groups like @AMZNforClimate show that our country is ready to fight for the big, structural change we’ll need to tackle the climate crisis,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) tweeted:

“Young people have already demonstrated they can take on powerful fossil fuel companies and force politicians to answer their call to action,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wrote.

“To the millions of young people and allies worldwide who are striking today to demand climate justice: I stand with you. #ClimateStrike,” he added:

“Our planet is in crisis—but we aren’t powerless to combat it,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) declared. “Inspired by the young people leading on today’s #ClimateStrike and committed to standing alongside them in the battle against climate change”:

The global strike follows Thunberg’s appearance before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. She submitted the United Nation’s IPCC Special Report on Global Warming as her written testimony, writing, “I am submitting this report as my testimony because I don’t want you to listen to me …I want you to listen to the scientists. And I want you to unite behind the science.”

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