MORE than 1,000 schoolchildren have descended on the Scottish Parliament to demand action on climate change.
Pupils from across Scotland missed school and marched on Holyrood in the second global strike action by youngsters.
It comes after the world’s leading climate scientists warned "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes” are needed to avoid global temperatures spiralling out of control in as little as 12 years.
Children gathered in 18 different locations across Scotland to show support for Youth Strike 4 Climate, with an estimated 15,000 taking part across the UK.
Natasha Blackman attended the protest outside Holyrood with her son Freddie, nine, and his friend Nathaniel Robertson-Booth, nine. Both had been given the day off school.
The 33-year-old said: "It's very important – it's their future. We were on the strike a month ago as well; there were not as many people as today.
“We are so happy and pleased that so many young people really care about the future, and hopefully the Government will take fast action."
Freddie, who was holding a sign urging those in power to “take action on climate” and “change your ways”, said: “We are here to encourage people in power to pay more attention to climate change problems and save the animals on our planet.”
Meanwhile, Nathaniel held a colourful placard proclaiming “Earth is our home – please stop climate change”.
He said: “I just want a future. I want the animals to have a future and I want my friends and family to have a future.”
Pupils in Edinburgh were told they would not be reprimanded for skipping lessons.
But elsewhere in Scotland, some parents were faced with a difficult choice.
Emma Barrow, 48, travelled up from Peebles with her daughter Sophie and admitted taking her out of school had been a little “nerve-wracking”.
Sophie, 12, said governments should do more to invest in renewable energy and cut down on plastic pollution, adding: “We can’t reverse the changes.”
Her friend Maggie Grigor, 12, added: “We want to save our planet and the animals that live in it, and make our future better.”
Elsewhere, Lisa Paterson, 37, was standing with her son Finn, eight. She said it was great so many children were having their voices heard, while Finn said he was protesting because “we are worried about the world and about the animals”.
Charlie Lumsden, 21, a student at Edinburgh University, said he was concerned about “inaction on climate change”.
He said it was inspiring to see so many young people taking part.
The latest protests were kick-started by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish 16-year-old who began staging school strikes last year to highlight climate change and urge those in power to act.
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