JGINZ STANDS WITH YOUNG CLIMATE STRIKERS
BY JGINZ ON MARCH 6, 2019
The Jane Goodall Institute New Zealand is lending its support to young New Zealanders taking part in the upcoming ‘School Strike 4 Climate’ event on March 15, sending a message to politicians to take urgent action to the climate change crisis.
Around the globe tens of thousands of students are expected to strike from school and protest to demand more action be taken to address climate change.
Dr. Jane Goodall urges Roots & Shoots youth and all environmental stewards to participate in the global day of action in the School Strike 4 Climate.
Dr. Goodall wonders why humans, such intellectual creatures, would destroy our only home. But she says she has hope for the future because of the enthusiasm of young people, the resilience of nature and the indomitable human spirit.
“People who were apathetic before, who didn’t seem to care, now suddenly it’s like they’ve heard a trumpet call — ‘What can we do? We have to do something.’ We will prevail — somehow. Think of all the marches and demonstrations, people really have woken up. It is the hope I think.” - Dr. Jane Goodall
Dr. Goodall’s message of hope on this issue is clear: The urgency of combating threats posed by climate change is very real. We each have a responsibility to other people, other animals and the environment and it is up to each of us as compassionate citizens to make decisions every single day that reduce harm and protect life.
Taking its lead from Greta Thunberg’s #FridaysforFuture movement the specific demands from the New Zealand School Strike 4 Climate participants include: Reaching carbon neutrality by 2050; Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees; Passing an effective Zero Carbon Act, with a long term plan to reduce emissions domestically; Ensuring the path to reaching our emissions targets is transparent so that communities are supported through the change.
The School Strike 4 Climate groups vision, for a safe climate future, with plentiful native forests, clean rivers and thriving ecosystems that allow life to flourish. Where people live in harmony with nature and understand that our wellbeing is inextricably linked to its wellbeing, mirrors JGI’s vision of a “A healthy planet where people live sustainably and in harmony with animals and our shared environment.”
JGINZ’s support for this action is cemented by the strong connection of the action of young participants and JGIs global education and citizenship programme, Roots & Shoots, which undertakes to empower young people to undertake action projects for the benefit of animals, people and planet.
JGINZ CEO & Co-Founder, Dr. Melanie Vivian, said “We should be proud of the New Zealand students participating in the School Strike 4 Climate, for taking an active stand for climate justice and their belief in a better future for us all.”
If you want to join this international effort to encourage world leaders for a smart climate plan, find the nearest march to you and sign up! Dr. Jane Goodall urges those with no major march happening around them to organise one of their own. For those students and educators staying at school on the 15th the occasion could instead be marked with lessons focused on climate change, Sustainable Development Goal 13 and the difference that individuals can make.
"Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
– Dr. Jane Goodall
Read the demands of the New Zealand climate strikers and see where marches are planned in New Zealand on the School Strike 4 Climate NZ website
Learn more about climate Action: SDG 13 –
http://www.janegoodall.org.nz/our-work/global-goals/im:2822/
Learn more about Roots & Shoots - http://www.janegoodall.org.nz/roots-shoots/