Thousands of Scottish pupils to join world's largest school climate strike

In Scotland, thousands of pupils are expected to take part in protest marches in Edinburgh, from the Meadows to the Scottish Parliament, and in Glasgow, from the People’s Palace to George Square.

Protests will also be held in towns and cities the length and breadth of Scotland, including Aberdeen, Fort William, Skelmorlie, Aboyne, Fort William, Peebles, Nairn, Stirling and Ullapool.

READ MORE: Youth climate strikes show the world we stand up for the planet

The last global strike on March 15 involved around 10,000 Scottish students, and organisers expect more to attend today’s marches.

As with the strike in March, the City of Edinburgh Council has passed an emergency motion allowing students to attend the protest during school time.

Demonstration organisers say the purpose of today’s strike is to urge politicians and the government to act on the climate emergency which they have declared and make the fight against climate breakdown a top priority.

Holly Gillibrand, 13, from Fort William, one of the first UK school climate strikers said: "I am too young to vote and we can’t wait for people my age to come into power. That’s why we need to strike to make our voices heard.”

READ MORE: Glasgow City Council declares climate emergency

Neelu Saraswatibhatla, a 17-year-old from Edinburgh, said: “We are terrified for our futures and are doing all we can to stop destruction. We are the ones who will be most affected by climate breakdown but we are not being taken seriously enough, so protesting is the only way we have to make our voices heard.”

Evie Hylands, 15, from Glasgow added that the opinions of young people had been disregarded in the climate debate.

“We can’t pause time. Time will go on regardless of anything we do,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t use that time effectively and take active steps toward achieving climate justice.

“I am striking because I want change to happen, and there is no use studying for a future career if I can’t even see a future for my planet. This protest symbolises something greater than just a strike. It gives a perfect depiction of the anger of the youth, who will be most affected by the fall of mother nature, yet we always seem to be the ones whose opinions are disregarded.”

Sandy Boyd, 15, from Edinburgh said: “I am striking from school this Friday because I am fed up with just hearing words and declarations. Now more than ever is the time when we need to be taking action.

“The world’s scientists have stated that we only have 11 years left to safeguard our future, and this issue still is not being acted upon.”

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon declares climate emergency

The campaign – inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg – comes amid increasing concern about the unfolding climate crisis, especially among young people.

Last year, the UN’s leading scientists warned there were just 12 years to limit climate catastrophe.

Earlier this month, another UN report warned that the widespread collapse of ecosystems was putting humanity itself at risk.

And just last week it emerged that the Antarctic ice is melting much faster than previously feared and global atmospheric CO2 emissions reached a record level of 415ppm.

In the UK, more than 100 school climate demonstrations have been planned and organisers say they will focus on the need for radical reform of the education system to address the ecological crisis.

Noga Levy-Rapoport, of the UK Student Climate Network which helped organise the events, said climate breakdown posed “a grave threat to life on Earth”.

“In order to properly address the crisis, we need our educational institutions to be hubs of sustainability that provide a space for learning and teaching to prepare today’s students to not only be those that lead a just transition, but to prepare for a changing world,” she said.