National Student Walkout for Climate Action
Jesse Clifton, Monash Clayton representative to the National Union of Students
On Friday August 9, students from all across the country will be walking out of class to demand action on climate change. The rally, called by the National Union of Students, is mobilising to show that the student population will not stand for inaction on the environment while the planet burns. The demands of the rally are for:
- 100% renewable energy
- Stop the Adani coal mine
- No new coal or gas projects
- Sustainable jobs to accompany the destruction of fossil fuels
People want drastic action. A majority of the population do not support the approval of more coal projects like the Adani mine, and people have been flocking to the streets in their thousands to maintain the rage at politicians and corporations fueling the fire.
Around the world there has been a revival of climate activism, with hundreds of thousands protesting throughout Europe. Groups like Extinction Rebellion have bloomed and high school students have organised mass actions to save the climate.
Students in Australia have a role to play in replicating and throwing their weight behind this growing movement. Our politicians are holding lumps of coal in parliament and approving mining projects that will push the planet even further towards catastrophe. Now is the time to get out in numbers.
The statewide protest for Victoria will be taking place at the State Library at 1pm. For those travelling from Monash, there will be a contingent to the event meeting at 11am on the Menzies Lawn before joining students from other campuses in the city.
