"Hearing my mum's stories about the river never drying up [in the past], it does make me angry. I'm here for the future of children and grandchildren." The strike was part of the School Strike 4 Climate campaign that was inspired by Swedish student Greta Thunberg's weekly school strike, for which she has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. 'It does make me angry,' said Harley Hickey, who traveled for 10 hours from Walgett to attend the Sydney climate strike. Credit:Janie Barrett Alexandra Hammer, 16, who is in year 11 at Tempe High, said: "We're getting stuck with the problems other people have created, I don't think it's fair that we're just expected to live with it." Charlotte, 6, came to the rally with her dad David during his lunch break, and was holding up a sign that read "I care about air". "I don't want the earth to get hurt," Charlotte said.

Loading Speakers hit back against messages to stay in school from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes and Premier Gladys Berejiklian. "Our Prime Minister wants us to do more learning and less activism," Danielle Villafana-Pore from Fort Street High School told the crowd. "If you want less activism, maybe you should remove basic science from the curriculum, or maybe you should do your job." The NSW Department of Education warned students that they may be penalised for missing school. "Any student not in classes on a school day will be marked absent and unexplained absences may be subject to the school’s disciplinary code," a spokesman said.

Students brought signs and gave speeches at Sydney Town Hall ahead of the march to Hyde Park. Credit:Janie Barrett Damien Pegren, who attended with his children Leif Pegren-Brand, 6, and Finn, 9, who go to Wentworth Falls Public School, said "there's nothing more important" than action on climate change. He said he had emailed the school to tell them why his children would be absent and said "we'll find out if it's all right when they reply". A teacher, who wanted to remain anonymous, said schools were recording, at their discretion, the absences as either explained or unexplained leave, which is marked on students' records and reports. "I contacted one of my children's [public high school] and they were very encouraging and said we'll put this down as explained leave and my other child's [primary school] said this is not something we're going to approve and we're going to list your child as having an unjustified absence," she said. Students chanted "stop Adani", "no more coal, no more oil, keep your carbon in the soil" and "the youth are rising, no more compromising" as they marched from Town Hall to Hyde Park in a demonstration that shut down Park Street.

One of the organisers, Adrian Wildhaber, 17, who is in year 12 at St Marys Senior High School, said students have been working to make it happen since December last year. Roads were closed and buses rerouted as students marched from Town Hall to Hyde Park. Credit:Janie Barrett "We had to talk to council and the police and we were debating whether to have it here or at the Harbour Bridge, it was a really long process, there were so many volunteers who put in so many hours," Adrian said. Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore, who waived the $25,000 fee to use the Town Hall for the rally and a post-march event, said reducing emissions is the "greatest priority" for the council, which has committed to moving to 100 per cent renewable energy by next year. Liz, who didn't want her full name published, was waiting at a bus stop as the students marched past. She hadn't known about the strike but supported the students.</s>(ANSA) - Rome, March 15 - Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Italy on Friday to protest against the lack of government action against climate change as part of an international 'climate strike'.

In Milan, placards raised high by students had 'Friday for Future' and 'No time left' written in English on them.

One of the large banners in Italian called on governments to "act, time is running out. Today we are protesting in 182 squares in Italy to call for one thing only: to have a future". Other students had written "why should we study for a future when there will not be any". Organizers said that, as of mid-morning, some 30,000 people were taking part in the march in Milan alone.

Tens of thousands were doing in the same in other cities.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wrote on his Facebook page that "climate change is a crucial challenge for the safeguarding the future of our planet. Heads of state and government not only have the moral obligation to listen to the cries of alarm being raised today from every corner of the world, they must also take concrete steps. Apathy would be an unforgivable, historic sin." He added that his government sees climate change as "one of the most important challenges we are facing and that the new European Commission will be called upon to face." Conte said that "we still have a long way to go" but that "the presence of thousands of young people in the streets gives us more stimulus to move forward".

</s>School students at North Terrace demand governments take more action to fight climate change. (7 News Adelaide)

Thousands of Adelaide students are swapping lessons for a rally on the city streets, calling for action on climate change.

Repeated in rallies across Australia and the world today, the Adelaide School Strike 4 Climate students took to the steps of Parliament House, spilling out on to North Tce for speeches.

The 5000-strong crowd was deafening as the youths’ voices boomed across the streets and spread online via a Facebook live stream.

“Close your eyes. That will be the colour of the ocean if we do nothing,” said student organiser Jessica Timms.

Rally organiser and Glenunga International High Year 12 student Doha Khan, 17, said young people are “sick” of climate change being treated as “political football”.

“We cannot vote and that’s why we are striking today,” she said.

“We know that climate change is the biggest issue that our generation faces.

“It’s not about talking anymore, this is about action.”

School and university students, parents and activists then marched down North Tce and King William St towards Victoria Square.

The rallies are mirrored across the country — thousands of school students, parents and activists have gathered in Sydney’s Town Hall Square.

The students — many wearing their uniforms — held signs on Friday with slogans such as “The climate is changing, why aren’t we?” and “Make earth cool again”.

Urrbrae Agricultural High School Year 8 student Polina wants politicians and decision makers to pay attention to what young people have to say.

“It’s up to us what our planet is going to look like in the future and we are going to be living in it,” she said.

Rally organiser and Unley High School Year 11 student Deanna Athanasos wants politicians to “do a lot more” on climate change.

“It’s going to have a massive impact — it already has — and they (politicians) just don’t understand and not doing enough to stop (climate change),” she said.

Parent Robin Anthony, of Aldinga Beach, attended the rally with son Joe, 8, who hoped to “save the world”.

“I want to show the kids that they can stand up for what they believe in and push the limit so things get done,” she said.

Mother Samantha Muller, of Eden Hills, alongside her five-yaer-old daughter Lulu, wants to send a message to the government that the time has come to take action on climate change.</s>Hundreds of schoolchildren around Devon have again taken to the streets to demand climate change action.

In Exeter there was a mass march from the Northcott Theatre through the city centre.

And in Sidmouth about 200 pupils joined a protest at Sidmouth College.

It was the second UK-wide education strike over climate change - and this time it was part of a worldwide protest.

Pupils from all across the county ditched the classroom to raise public awareness about young people's deep concerns about issues related to climate change.

Live updates here from the protests across Devon as we get them</s>TAKING ACTION: Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Enoch with Kandanga State School students Makayla Ogan and Mia Garrett. Mrs Enoch spent an hour at the school helping students with their vegetable garden and talking about the importance of climate change.

TAKING ACTION: Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Enoch with Kandanga State School students Makayla Ogan and Mia Garrett. Mrs Enoch spent an hour at the school helping students with their vegetable garden and talking about the importance of climate change. Troy Jegers

AHEAD of the nation-wide school strike for Climate Day today, Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Enoch was in the Mary Valley yesterday attending a special climate day event being held at the Kandanga State School.

This Gympie student is leading hundreds of peers on strike

Students from hundreds of schools in more than 55 cities and towns across Australia will today call on all politicians to stop Adani's coal mine, say no to all new fossil fuels and power Australia with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

Mrs Enoch said she was pleased to see students taking action on climate change. With her visit to the school, she helped students with their vegetable garden.

"I was really thrilled to come and see these young people who have been doing projects on this and today was their culminating day of activity,” she said.

"Everybody is becoming more and more aware that climate change is real. There has been a lot of people who try and deny the science but our government has accepted the science on this. It doesn't take you to be a scientist to see what's going on.

"We've had extended unprecedented periods of drought, bushfires and flooding and this continues to be pretty strong symbols that our climate is changing.”

Student Mitchell Smalera said climate change was a big issue as "we are polluting the air with our cars.”

Gabriella Schmidt: Yes we are. Cars are a big concern, and we are using a lot of fuel.

Leam Davison: Yes I'm concerned about climate change. Burning fossil fuels and using a lot of gas.

Mrs Enoch said she supported students rights when it came to the nation-wide school strike.

"We want young people to be engaged in the conversation about action against climate change. As a former teacher I understand how important your education day is, but if they do decide to be part of some action, I would encourage them to get their parents permission first,” she said.

School Strike 4 Climate Australia organisers say we are "in the thick of the climate crisis”.

"As school students, we're sick of being ignored,” they wrote in a statement. "We're sick of our futures being turned into political footballs. We feel sick when we see and hear about the climate impacts that are already devastating communities here and all around the world.”

The strike will run today from 11am at Peregian Beach.</s>Scores of schoolchildren around the world have walked out of their classrooms and trooped on to the streets for a second time to demand that politicians take action on climate change.

British students join striking counterparts in 120 other countries including New Zealand, Australia and Japan with an expected 2,000 rallies worldwide.

Hundreds of these placard-waving youngsters ditched their lessons and flocked to London's Parliament Square this morning to try to grab the attention of MPs.

They chanted 'this is what democracy looks like' while primary school children, who were at the protest with their parents and holding handmade placards, shouted 'climate change, boo!'

But one group of teenagers went further, and shouted: 'One two three four, Theresa May's a f***ing whore, five six seven eight, Corbyn is f***ing great!'

The walkouts are taking place in more than 100 UK towns and cities, including Kent, Edinburgh and Bristol, as part of a global day of action inspired by teenager Greta Thunberg who protests every Friday outside Sweden's parliament.

Many politicians, including environment secretary Michael Gove and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have already backed the 'inspirational strikers'.

Greta Breveglieri, 21, a political science student at Univesita Statale Di Milano, travelled from Italy for the London demonstration today.

She said: 'The protest in February was really big, but today is way more important and has been way more publicised. There's been a lot of momentum, so I think it's going to be big.

'To put it bluntly, we're here because our world is going to be destroyed. We have to change the pace of our culture, our society, our politics, our economics.

'We have been silent for too long. There have been singular voices or movements that have always struggled against climate change, and for the environment and against pollution.

'But this kind of global and coordinated and spontaneous, and especially youth movement, I've never seen this movement before.'

Thousands of students defied warnings from teachers and politicians when they bunked off on February 15 and the organisers predict that even more will skip classes to protest today.

While the youngsters may not have the support of Downing Street and education secretary Damian Hinds, who disapproves of the children missing school, an Opinium poll suggested that a majority of the public backs the walkout.

Although climate change is the cause which unites the protesters, some placards in London were emblazoned with socialism endorsements and some are campaigning for the voting age to be lowered to 16.

Their calls come after a UN report last year which warned that limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which climate impacts become increasingly severe, requires unprecedented action.

That includes cutting global carbon dioxide emissions by almost half within 12 years, and to zero by mid-century.

In London Joe Crabtree, 15, from south-west London, who is missing his GCSE mocks for the protest, said: 'I'm here today to send a clear message to Government that I'm fed up with inaction on climate change.

'I think they're not doing enough to curb the problem that is climate change, leaving it to the side like us with homework, hoping it will get done, but it's not being dealt with.'

In a video released ahead of Friday's strikes, Mr Gove tells students walking out of lessons and lectures to call for urgent action on cutting emissions: 'Dear school climate strikers, we agree.

'Collective action of the kind you're championing can make a difference, and a profound one.'

Mr Corbyn has also backed the strikers, tweeting: 'Thank you for standing up against climate change. You shouldn't have to pay the price for the mistakes of previous generations.'

Cat Smith, shadow minister for youth affairs, said Labour stands 'in solidarity' with young people across the UK taking action over the Government's lack of leadership on climate change.

She said: 'Today's strike demonstrates that young people care deeply about environmental issues and will use their collective power to bring about meaningful change.

'This should serve as a wake-up call to the political establishment that young people's views can no longer be ignored, and urgent action is needed to tackle the escalating ecological crisis.'

Anna Taylor, 17, from north London, co-founder of the UK Student Climate Network and one of the organisers of the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement, said the Government was failing to recognise the severity of the crisis.

'We're here because we feel betrayed and we don't feel we can trust them to protect our future, which is why we're having to go on strike to make our voices heard, and let them know that unless they change something we will keep striking until they consider our demands.

'They're failing to make environmental reform and environmental policy a priority, they focusing on economic policy and Brexit and failing to address the climate crisis facing us.

'Young people feel empowered by other young people, this is very much a student-led movement.

'It's something we all feel very passionate about, because it's personal to us, it's about our future. This is a broad movement and we are all striking in solidarity.

And United Nations climate change chief Patricia Espinosa said: 'What we're seeing is a clear message from youth throughout the world that nations must significantly increase their efforts to address climate change.

'Given the urgency the world faces, it's vital nations come up with more ambitious plans both this year and in 2020 as stated in the Paris Agreement.

'This is how we will not only reach our collective climate goals, but how we will build a cleaner, greener and more prosperous future for all people.'</s>School students have gathered at The Quad in Lismore as part of strike action on climate change.

School students have gathered at The Quad in Lismore as part of strike action on climate change. Marc Stapelberg

HUNDREDS of students from Lismore and surrounds are on strike from school today, to call on politicians to take urgent action on climate change and stop the Adani coal mine.

The Lismore School Strike 4 Climate is being held at the Lismore Quad, and involves passionate young speakers, musicians, and a panel of experts including State and Federal candidates and scientists.

There will be a march around the CBD footpath at midday.

Meanwhile, around 500 students and supporters have gathered in Railway Park at Byron Bay for the start of the student strike for climate action.

Down the road in Lismore more than 1500 students, teachers, parents and community members are showing their support for the national School Strike 4 Climate by joining a rally in the Quad in Lismore. The students will march carrying handmade signs, t-shirts and banners to bring attention to climate change action. St Mary's Catholic College students Harriett Chard and Dallas Eyles both travelled from Casino to join the March. Harriett, 15, said she came back to the March to fight for the future of the planet. "We can't vote but we want a future and we want a future for our kids and grandchildren," she said. "They say in 50-years it could all be over." Dallas said he was resentful of the politicians who haven't been acting in the best interest of the environment. "I believe it's one of the biggest threats to the world at the moment," he said.</s>- Thousands of students around the world plan to skip school Friday to demand action on climate change.

A teenager in Sweden started the event and it's now spread to students in more than 100 countries.

That includes right here in Georgia where two events are planned in downtown Atlanta.

Organizers said the idea is to pressure leaders to take action sooner rather than later.</s>Thousands of Bay Area students walked out of schools Friday morning in a global call to action on climate change.

Students in San Francisco headed up Market Street to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office at One Post St. The students chanted and held signs that emphasized the dire consequences of climate change and criticized adults’ inaction.

Claudia Ryekebusch, an eighth grader at Denman Middle School in San Francisco, missed her geology class to join the march. She was holding a sign that said, “Climate change is real,” next to a picture of wilted flowers.

“The planet still has to be here after adults aren’t,” Ryekebusch said. “We’ve got to take care of the planet before it’s gone forever. I don’t want my great-great-grandchildren to live in a sea of trash.”

Earlier in the day, students crowded in front of 90 Seventh St., which houses the local office for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Protesters held up signs with slogans such as “the seas are rising, so are we” and “it’s not nice to frack Mother Nature.”

Some protesters’ signs also called on Feinstein to vote “yes” to the Green New Deal, a proposal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., calling on the U.S. to run on 100 percent renewable energy within the next decade.

Feinstein’s terse conversation about the Green New Deal with young environmental activists at her office in February went viral as they debated how she, a Democrat, should vote on the proposal. On Friday, students dropped protest posters off in front of her office.

Jesse Simons participated in the rally with his daughter, 8-year-old, Eloise.

“Her future is on the line,” he said.

The second grader from Parker Elementary in Oakland held a sign that said, “Everything needs to change and needs to start today.”

“Things are bad and it affects kids more than adults,” Eloise said.

Hundreds of youth rallies were planned in dozens of countries Friday to demand greater action to combat global warming.

San Francisco police officers kept watch over the march as it proceeded from Civic Center to the Financial District.

A spokeswoman for San Francisco Unified said the school district had only received a report of 200 students — all from Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and The Academy — San Francisco @ McAteer — walking out of city classrooms as of 11 a.m.</s>MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hundreds of students in Madison are walking out of class and gathering outside the state Capitol to protest what they see as a lack of government action to combat climate change.

The rally was part of a series of student climate change protests around the world Friday.

The Madison students held signs that read "No Jobs on a Dead Planet" and "This Is Our Future." Audrey Ehrhardt, a 15-year-old sophomore at Madison West High School, showed up with the planet Earth painted on her cheek and a sign that read "Be a Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Pollution."

She says climate change affects everyone and people need to start caring. She says people "need to do everything in their power to help save the world, basically."
Hundreds of thousands of students protest worldwide for climate change mitigation.