It is the strike that has divided a nation - is it a worthy cause for the country's kids to be undertaking or just a day off school? Children from around the country are protesting today against climate change and what they see as inaction to prevent it. Kiwi kids will join with more than 40 other countries in a global protest for action on climate change. Protesters are demanding the Government "do more" to solve the issue of global warming. 2:22 - If you have any information about the incident in Christchurch email news@newshub.co.nz 2:20 - Those in Christchurch or at Hagley Park can keep up to date with the latest developments here: Gunshots heard near Hagley Park in Christchurch 2:12 - Police have confirmed shots have been fired in central Christchurch near Hagley Park. It happened at 1:40pm. Armed police have been deployed and police are urging locals to remain indoors and report any suspicious behaviour to 111. 2:07- There are reports of an incident in central Christchurch, which is reportedly affecting the climate protest.<doc-sep>OPINION: I want you to think back to your school days. I want you to think back to the days you had off school. I want you to think of the reasons why you took those days off school. Maybe it was because of visiting family. Perhaps it was because of a mildly sore stomach. Was it a field trip to Kelly Tarltons? Or could it have just been that you just didn't really want to go that day? There are so many reasons children don't go to school, some valid, some not so. Tomorrow, thousands of Kiwi kids across the country won't go to school. They'll take to the streets to protest one cause -climate change. The global School Strike 4 Climate involves students in more than 90 countries in an effort to create action. Now if that's not a valid reason to take a day off school, then what is? The world is fighting one of its biggest wars right now, except this time, we are our own weapons of mass destruction. Never has there been a common enemy such as climate change. There's been controversey surrounding the protest, with some saying the students shouldn't take the day off school. That the day could be better spent doing something else. That they should do it on the weekend instead. Some have even gone as far as to class it as "wagging", and that these children are simply "tagging along" on a fad. Climate change is not a fad. It's happening, it's here, and we can't deny what's going on. We've had our heads in the sand, the very dry sand, for far too long, and it's now time to step up before it's too late. We can't be ignorant, not anymore. This protest is one very example of stepping up. There's a perception that children don't like school, but that's wrong. These children are making a stand. They're actively learning about democracy. They're actively learning about the freedom of speech. They're actively learning to speak up about the things that matter. They're concerned about the direction the world is going and holding people to account. What's negative about that? What right do we have to hold them back when we ourselves do that very thing? How can we argue in favour of alternative education if we don't support this? We know not everyone learns in a classroom. We are not all part of a mould who learn from a text book. We know, for a fact, we all learn differently. Isn't this just another form of alternative learning? Isn't it fair to say these children will actually learn a lot more about climate change, and democracy, by actively taking part in it? Did you go out and study the land as a part of your geography course? Did you not scale cliff sides and attempt the high ropes as a part of outdoor education? Did you not go on school camp to learn how to look after yourself? This strike should be celebrated, not ridiculed. So again, I want you to think back to your school days. I want you to think back to the days you had off school. I want you to think of the reasons why you took those days off school. Visiting family? Sore stomach? Kelly Tarltons? Didn't feel like it? Or did you protest climate change? If one day off school makes a positive difference in our world and forces action on climate change, then so be it. It's brave, it's intelligent, and it's valid. Aziz is The AM Show producer/reporter.<doc-sep>"This is a generational issue - a longstanding challenge that will go beyond electoral cycles, so it's not just about what we adopt, it's about what successive governments choose to adopt," Ms Ardern said. "We need to give certainty to a whole range of communities. We need to give certainty to your generation, we need to give certainty to businesses that are making investment decisions around energy generation, and we need to give certainty around security of supply. "We can give that greater certainty if we have consensus amongst us, and that consensus is formed when not only political parties come together, but actually when civil society and the public does as well." The Prime Minister concluded by saying the student strike is "helping us with that". "I'd like to think we're already on board, we're ready and we recognise this challenge and we're doing what we can. But we need that to be reinforced and reinforced really strongly. So keep challenging all of us." The upcoming strike has been met with doubt from some ministers, even the Prime Minister's own deputy. Winston Peters said last week: "We pay a lot of money for people to get educated. Attending school is compulsory in this country." 100 percent renewable energy target During the live chat the Climate Change Minister was asked why the Government protected existing offshore oil and gas exploration permits when it announced plans to ban them in April last year. "Governments are restricted in terms of what we can do in terms of existing property rights, and that's actually quite a good thing, because occasionally you get governments that would make decisions and trample all over people's rights," Ms Shaw said. "When it comes to why we allowed existing permits to continue, there are a couple of reasons for that - one of which is that the country still relies on a certain amount of fossil fuel as part of our existing energy mix. "If we were to switch that off tomorrow, then we actually wouldn't have enough electricity to power the country. You'd see prices go through the roof, and of course it's people with low incomes and from poorer families who have the least choice." He said the world has a "period of time" where fossil fuels can be phased out, and that "buys us time to bring in more renewables into the mix until we can get to that goal of 100 percent renewable". Newshub.<doc-sep>Clarke Gayford says he supports students protesting across New Zealand calling for action on climate change. "Get bloody stuck in today kids. Wear any punishment like badge of honour," Gayford wrote in a tweet Thursday night. The partner of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed in the tweet that he had seen a "constant stream of letters from kids on banning plastic bags".<doc-sep>
Thousands of Kiwi school children will walk out of classes on Friday, as part of the School Strike 4 Climate protests. New Zealanders will join with more than 40 other countries in a global protest for action on climate change. New Zealand protesters are demanding the Government "do more" to solve the issue of global warming. In a list of demands published to the strike website, protesters are asking for an effective Zero Carbon Act to be passed, giving New Zealand a long term plan for carbon neutrality. They also want all exploration and extraction of fossil fuels to stop immediately, and are asking for investments to be made into renewable energy alternatives. The list of demands also asks for the Governments plans to reach emission targets to be "fast tracked, well planned and transparent." Protests are planned all throughout New Zealand - so if you're looking to get involved, here's what's going on where: Wellington - Protesters will gather at 10am at Civic Square, followed by a march down Lambton Quay to Parliament. Speakers are expected. Auckland - Midday at Aotea Square. No march is planned, but musicians, speakers and spoken word poetry is expected. Dunedin - Expected to start at midday with a march down George Street, then a rally in the Octagon. Christchurch - Kicking off at 1pm at Cathedral Square - music, guest speakers and cultural showcases from local schools. Events are also planned for Nelson, Raglan, Hamilton, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Russell, Lower Hutt and Kapiti. Newshub.