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Christian Aid Supports School Strikers

Friday March 15 2019

^{Climate protest at the Scottish Parliament today (Friday). Picture by Adrian Shaw.}

Christian Aid Scotland has supported the children going on strike from school today to demand action on climate change.

Children in Scotland and other parts of the UK have joined others around the globe in protest at the fact that the world is currently not on track to deliver the aims of the Paris Agreement.

Chris Hegarty of Christian Aid Scotland, and board member of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, called on governments to ‘heed the wake-up call’ of the children’s action.

He said: “When it's left to children to remind decision-makers of their responsibilities, the breakdown in democracy is clear. Young people can see with great clarity what many politicians have been avoiding for too many years – the need for an urgent shift to a low-carbon society.”

“It’s apt that Holyrood will be a focus of today’s climate protest, as our MSPs have a fantastic opportunity to map out a climate-friendly path with the new Scottish Climate Change Bill due to be passed later this year.”

The school strikers also received the backing of former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chair of Christian Aid, Rowan Williams. In a video message posted earlier this week he said: “I believe a wide and deep support from the public is needed to bring this matter fully to the attention of our political leaders. To show we can actually achieve democratic change for the good of everybody.”