New Zealand students walk out of class, kicking off global strike on climate change

Dont change the Climate, CHANGE the Government !

Meeting at the Quad in Lis , about ready to hear the human pop has peaked, emissions stabilised, plastic water bottles banned, and no more small diesel cars will be made, that would be nice, eh

Awrsom, as usual NZ leads the way.

All I know is I have 16, 240 Watt Solar Panels on my roof in Tokyo and I have a big house.... my electric bill is Zero. If they can build factories that produce Solar Panels.... using solar panel power and produce the raw materials without fossil fuels, then that might be a good thing. We need to at least work together to try to change the direction we're heading.

Awrsom, as usual NZ leads the way.

It started last year in Sweden

All I know is I have 16, 240 Watt Solar Panels on my roof in Tokyo and I have a big house.... my electric bill is Zero. If they can build factories that produce Solar Panels.... using solar panel power and produce the raw materials without fossil fuels, then that might be a good thing. We need to at least work together to try to change the direction we're heading.

Renewable energy (with current technology) on the scale that we need globally would be environmentally catastrophic. Innovation is key. Education is vital. Agree that we can do better but these protests are nothing more than virtue signalling (for some) and a day off (for others).

Awrsom, as usual Sweden leads the way. ;-)

Awrsom, as usual Sweden leads the way. ;-)

Sorry, I meant London

How do students "go on strike"??

One in the eye for those who will try and have us believe that the younger generation are apathetic. Good on them, because we're the ones bequeathing them a toxic legacy, if climate change is left unchecked.

One in the eye for those who will try and have us believe that the younger generation are apathetic.

I read a really interesting article about the difference in thoughts between baby boomers and millenials. The baby boomers grew up in an era where if you worked hard, you got security from your company. So it was beneficial to put in that extra work, for the long term payoff.

That long term payoff doesn't exist for millenials though. They expect to get laid off, to get fired, to get restructured. So that promise of long-term security isn't there to tease them into putting in that extra mile for the company. Instead, the try to find jobs that align with their current motivations, and only expect them to be temporary.

I'm guessing that living in a planet that is clearly falling apart, with advocates of an American political system claiming it's fake news, hasn't helped them feel any sense of permanence either. They know the world is going to be a mess, and that long-term security doesn't exist anymore.

Old people will freak out at their actions though, due to that now outdated mindset that because things are the way they are today, they will be tomorrow as well.

More social justice warrior nonsense.

Kids need to stay in class and learn, not cut class or walk out of it and pull dumb media stunts.

If they wanted to do this, do it on your own free time.

Kids need to stay in class and learn, not cut class or walk out of it and pull dumb media stunts.

That's an old man's thinking. It doesn't mesh with the reality of what the youth of today face.

"I bet dinosaurs thought they had time too", read another sign, as students and parents marched on parliament house in the capital Wellington.

Dinosaurs still do.

...kicking off a global student strike against government inaction on climate change.

The climate is always changing, no rational person disputes that. But climate change is natural and has nothing to do with CO2 which is essential to life and a trace gas in the upper atmosphere. I'm all for cutting back on pollution and the protection of the environment but this has nothing to do with this. These kids have been manipulated to believe that this green agenda is about saving the earth. It's not.

*“The common enemy of humanity is man. In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention, and it is only through changed attitudes and behaviour that they can be overcome. The real enemy then, is humanity itself.“ – *Club of Rome, premier environmental think-tank, consultants to the United Nations

*“Isn’t the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn’t it our responsiblity to bring that about?” – Maurice Strong, founder of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)*

Some present/former members of the Club of Rome which should give pause for thought.

Al Gore, David Rockefeller, Tony Blair, George Soros, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Ted Turner, Henry Kissenger, Maurice Strong

http://www.green-agenda.com/globalrevolution.html

More social justice warrior nonsense.

More lazy phrases. The younger generation are villified either for not being interested or for making a stand.

Kids need to stay in class and learn, not cut class or walk out of it and pull dumb media stunts.

Kids need to learn that the ruling elite doesn't care if it poisons their future.

Anyone who thinks that human activity is causing global climate change is totally unhinged.

Yes, there is climate change -- but there always has been. It has been going on for millions of years, long before human beings ever became the world's dominant species.

Yes, we do have environmental problems, but they are localized.

This is nothing but a scare tactic designed to sell far-leftism.

I want to deal in facts, not desperate attempts to sell an ideology.

I hope these kids keep a snap shot of this non-sense: "You will die of old age - We will die of climate change." Come back in 60-70 years when they are old and gray, and they'll know how silly they were.

Good on them. It's their future and their children's futures that are at stake.

I don't get the "they should be at school and learn". Those who give this argument certainly also give excuses why they don't protest anything.

They are learning and practicing being citizens with a right and duty to express themselves.

I hope these kids keep a snap shot of this non-sense: "You will die of old age - We will die of climate change." Come back in 60-70 years when they are old and gray, and they'll know how silly they were.

In 60-70 years, you'll be dead, and the people of the day will be hating you old geezers who destroyed the planet, then were stupid enough to believe an American political ideology over saving our planet.

Anyone who thinks that human activity is causing global climate change is totally unhinged.

Well it's not down to any deities, that's for sure. The evidence is overwhelming that human activity is rapidly accelerating the process. Fossil fuel emissions, logging, plastics in the ocean - all building up. The first peoples to sufffer are developing countries, with poor infrastructure, housing, etc. The first world will only wake up when it's happening to them. Of course, by then, it will be very late in the day.

If you could remove all the patently false statements about nuclear power (waste, etc.), as well as interject the proven facts about solar (nice panels.. until you have to store large amounts of generated energy or replace them), this younger generation would be screaming about the need for nuclear power.

If you could remove all the patently false statements about nuclear power

The estimated cleanup cost of the Fukushima disaster currently stands at $180 billion. Cleaning up a few cracked solar panels or wind turbines might possibly be cheaper.

How many times have we heard this nonsense before? "The world is going to end in __ years if we don't take drastic action now!"

We've heard this insanity time and time and time and time again over the past few decades.

And the radical environmentalists have been so colossally WRONG so many times ... why do they even have a shred of credibility anymore?

Yes, we have environmental problems. They are generally LOCAL problems, though. They should be (and usually are) handled as such.

The students in the story and the photo mean well. They have very good intentions. But they are being utterly duped by a bunch of far-leftists whose claims of environmental doom NEVER come true.

And all of this dishonesty is being done in the name of advancing a leftist ideology with its associated massive government power grab. Nothing more.

And all of this dishonesty is being done in the name of advancing a leftist ideology with its associated massive government power grab. Nothing more.

There's nothing leftist about trying to save the planet for future generations. Would you call Sir David Attenborough and numerous other respected scientists leftist? What's his agenda, at age 92, do you think?

Two comments.

First, unfortunately for these students, their protests will be lost in the news about the tragic mosque shootings.

Second, it really bothers me how young people are being indoctrinated and weaponized for political goals. I am sorry, but this is driven by a concerted effort by activist educators to indoctrinate young people and to weaponize them to help adult activists achieve policy goals.

Imagine if this were the reverse and these students were advocating AGAINST climate change initiatives. One can well imagine climate change activists angrily decrying the use of minors as pawns.

I HATE educators indoctrinating kids. Teach them, educate them, but don't engage in political indoctrination.

Teach them, educate them, but don't engage in political indoctrination.

Like swearing allegiance to the US flag, sort of thing?

Again, what is political about wanting to stop the catastrophe of climate change which will cause crop failures, sea levels to rise, famine, mass migration, conflicts, resource wars?

We were heading on the right track in the mid 80's, 1987 to be precise as that was the Ozone Layer Montreal Protocol. Politicians got the news, and acted. They didn't flinch. There wasn't a PR system in place that Science couldn't stop.

Since then corporations and their right wing zealots have mounted a counter offensive against Science. Started owning politicians who follow the money and focus groups, not science. Hiring the same PR companies that delayed the smoking bans. They are now the PR companies fighting climate change.

We need to curtail corporations and what their existence means. Take away the notion from them that their ignorance is equal to scientific knowledge.

Any nation with fewer right-wingers that don't hold them back are going to be the only ones that can move on. USA isn't one of them. Too many guns and morons. Only place where religion is up. Probably the next Iran

Green New Deal from AOC and others is probably the last great gasp of change. Should that fail USA is gone

Anyone who thinks that human activity is causing global climate change is totally unhinged.

Another one with the scientific credentials to dismiss the consensus.

I see the moon-landing-was-faked crowd are in town.

Like swearing allegiance to the US flag, sort of thing?

Or the omnipotence of an archaic made-up religious system? Some adults seem offended that the youth may have opinions about climate change, nuclear weapons, racism etc. and that those opinions might be based on proven facts rather than political loyalty.

Second, it really bothers me how young people are being indoctrinated and weaponized for political goals.

Kids generally don't care a jot about politics.

Imagine if this were the reverse and these students were advocating AGAINST climate change initiatives.

Why would anyone in their right mind be in favour of pollution, environmental ruin, economic collapse etc? Why are some people so afraid of living on a better planet?

Of course there is climate change, but renewables are not to answer.

TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-yALPEpV4w

One in the eye for those who will try and have us believe that the younger generation are apathetic.

They're not apathetic, just easily manipulated.

Good on them, because we're the ones bequeathing them a toxic legacy, if climate change is left unchecked.

Indeed, if they focused on pollution, that would be a good thing; but CO2 is not a pollutant.

"For action on issues that they think is important, they should do that after school or on weekends," Australia's Minister for Education Dan Tehan told reporters ahead of protests in Melbourne.

If YOU and others in government would be doing your jobs properly they wouldnt need to!

Do your jobs before telling kids what to do!

Whatever your political views about the man made climate change. my take on the subject is the relevance to our present climate and the effects of air pollution that have a direct consequence to health risk over and above the circumspect nature of predictive long term carbon modelling.

And for the record I am not some old mother Hubbard that lives in a shoe.

The reality, Students future assess the long-term prospects for employment in any sector/ company is evaluated by just 170 to 220 of school days per year, transformed into just 850 to 1,100 hours per year of dedicated instructional teaching time for students capacity to learn.

The final three years before the transition the higher eduction are the most important.

I suggest 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg upper middle classic background can cushion her from the ravages of failure to attend classes.

However there is no such get out of jail card for the silent majority of impoverished families who students will bear the brunt of the political virtue signalling self righteous.

Like swearing allegiance to the US flag, sort of thing?

Do you see me advocating for that???

Like I want my son to have to stand for the Hinomaru and sing Kimigayo??

Again, what is political about wanting to stop the catastrophe of climate change which will cause crop failures, sea levels to rise, famine, mass migration, conflicts, resource wars?

Of course its political. And it is predicated on questionable science. But even calling it questionable leads people to be labelled as climate change-deniers.

Teachers have our children to be taught, not indoctrinated. And if the issue of climate change is discussed in the open-minded scientific manner that scientific discourse is predicated upon, fair enough. But, not, it is the "science is settled" and an intolerant "you must believe" mindset.

I will NEVER allow my son to be indoctrinated. Taught, yes. Indoctrinated, no. And I am ensuring he learns critical thinking, to question EVERYTHING he is taught.

As any sane rational person should want for their children.

Its a simple no-brainer, schedule climate activism outside of school hours.

What is remarkable, the OECD average of dedicated instructional teaching time is just 840 hours per year....

https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2018_eag-2018-en

Do you see me advocating for that???

Nah, just throwing it into the mix.

But even calling it questionable leads people to be labelled as climate change-deniers.

Conversely, those who put their trust in science over faith (not referring to you) are labelled as unhinged.

There's a war on science - just look at the rise of the flat earthers and anti-vaxxers, of late.

Anyone who thinks that human activity is causing global climate change is totally unhinged.

Yes, there is climate change -- but there always has been. It has been going on for millions of years, long before human beings ever became the world's dominant species.

Yes, we do have environmental problems, but they are localized.

This is nothing but a scare tactic designed to sell far-leftism.

I want to deal in facts, not desperate attempts to sell an ideology.

this is a classical exemple of people who think they know better, but don't understand. No you don't want to deal in facts. facts are there, and people try to explain it, but you don't want to see it !

To explain again is useless... isn't it ? yes, climate has always changed...last time it was changing like this it took 700 000 years to change the way it is changing in a few hundread years now. No, earth is not going to end tomorrow... no people never said it will, people said we will get big problems in 50 to 200 years...if nothing is done in 10 years... now, we are at the point people are saying, we can keep the damage within managable range if something is done in the next 10 years... Of course, if you are 50 years old now, you don't need to care, you will die in a world witha bit more hurricanes, typhoons and bush fires and less coral reefs... but people who are 15, THEY CARE !!! and they are right... why can't they get a planet to live their life, the way you got one for yours ?? egoist...

Also... i do love people believing in chemtrails use to secretly change climate on Bill Gates or Soros order to push leftist agenda saying "kids are easily manipulated".

Wish I had thought of walking out for some "cause" to get out of taking a few exams I was not prepared for.

All these students have to do is think of 200 more "causes" to walk out of school for the whole year.

@toasted heretic

It's odd isn't it, people dismiss climate change but refuse to sit in a cafe that allows smoking. Maybe its because they don't want their clothes to stink, they surely must think second hand smoke is a myth as well, right? Why stop there, the air problems that exist all over Asia and kill in India are myths too in their minds I'm sure.

It's odd isn't it, people dismiss climate change but refuse to sit in a cafe that allows smoking. Maybe its because they don't want their clothes to stink, they surely must think second hand smoke is a myth as well, right? Why stop there, the air problems that exist all over Asia and kill in India are myths too in their minds I'm sure.

I'd reply at length, Dfg, but the Mod is on a roll, so I'll leave it there for today. Stay clean and green ;-)

The planet doesn't need saving. It isn't going anywhere. Species living on the planet is a different issue completely. Climate changes will shift and reduce where each species can live. Many will die. New species will eventually fill those places in the new climates, but that takes time. Humans will be impacted and some land where we currently live will not be there anymore.

The parents should have walked out on their jobs all day for this to show how important it is to them, their town, state, country and the world.

Climate change is real. It is clearly happening in the most northern and southern areas, but everywhere is being impacted. It is going to cost $$$$$$ to safeguard the places impacted. We will all pay for this to deal with sea level rise in coastal cities, even if we don't live anywhere near them.

I wouldn't be buying coastal land or any land in Florida.

"The government just needs to change some things, which is why if we go on strike on a school day then they'll notice and they might actually do something about it," said 14-year-old New Zealand student Inese, who did not want her surname made public.

Why doesn't she, or her parents, want her surname made public? Don't they believe in their cause? Don't they believe in what they say?

I believe the first thing the government should change should be increasing the penalty for ditching school to become political puppets. Aren't schools paid for every day a student actually attends school?