On Saturday 9th of  March, thousands of British students united in parliament square, protesting for a campaign of action on climate change.

The pupils claimed to be on “strike,” from lessons. They hoped this would reinforce the seriousness of the situation. Their goal was to make the government aware that this is a priority, so they could take genuine steps into tackling the global issue. They held up placards, saying unique, but direct messages such as: ‘Why do GCSE’s if we have no future,’ whilst other groups chanted phrases such as: ‘Our planet, our future.’ In England, similar marches were made in other major towns such as Oxford and Exeter.

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish 16-year-old, who has been campaigning for her government to take drastic action for climate change, inspired the March march. She has been dedicated and committed to ensuring her country actively participates in the Paris Climate Change Agreement. 

Neha Ganeshan (18), a passionate participant of this movement, explained why she wanted to go: "I was eager to find out a sense of who else felt the same way I did. Young people are always projected to be passionate in the media about climate change, and I wanted to see first hand the extent of the views. The number of students really highlighted the sense of urgency of the issue. I’m glad I attended the march as it helped to reinforce my own views."

Inspired by the events in the UK, tens of thousands of children across Australia, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany decided to undertake similar protest marches.

Businesses have attempted to cut down their use of plastics, avoiding the release of Greenhouse Gases when incinerated; and restaurants/cafés have implemented the use of paper straws, which is a positive start. But Neha added that "the government needs to change the industrial effects of climate change. People need to rely on more renewable energy sources, and fossil fuels need to be cut down significantly. They are the biggest emitters of toxic gases, and the government must start implicating legislation in order to limit their use to a very low amount. By taking these steps we can hope that everyone will follow and support the cause further."

By Rizwan Hatimi.