Youth all over the world are rising in the millions to demand the world’s nations protect our future, our Earth home and the web of life that sustains us all and take bold and immediate action to avoid catastrophic climate collapse. Local youth and students, families and adult supporters will be mobilizing in solidarity with youth world-wide for a safe, livable climate future. Join us!
Join the global student strike for climate on March 15th!
This action is taking place on the unceded homeland of the Lekwungen peoples of Songhees and Esquimault nation and we acknowledge that the climate crisis is a by-product of colonialism and capitalism which Indigenous peoples have resisted since first contact and which settler allies seek to resist, confront and transform in our daily lives as guests on these sacred territories.
Inspired by waves of students all over the world rallying for real political action for creating a sustainable future, this open demonstration is going to take place in front of the legislature building in Victoria, BC on Friday, March 15th from 12-1 pm. There will be youth and international speakers and a performance by eco-justice recording artist Luke Wallace.
At 1 pm we will march through the downtown streets to the Fort and Douglas intersection, the location of major banks financing climate ruin, to demand an end to all investment in fossil fuel infrastructure and a sharp shift to a post-carbon society.
We hope to bring positive transformation and healing to our communities and to the Earth. With our collective energy, the intention is to actively embody the vision that we all carry in our hearts for a safe, equitable and sustainable world for all.
We invite every one of all ages to stand with us! Each individual voice is greatly needed.
We are unifying in community, sharing in positive vision for the world we all want to live in. This is a celebration of what we love most.
Please share this information in your circles, we hope to reach as many people as possible!
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Antonia Paquin is a youth organizer driven by a deep sense of passion and reverence for the natural world. She is also a student in the Environmental Studies program at the University of Victoria.
As David Suzuki said in today’s Times Colonist, “it is the public and in particular the youth who will force real action on climate change.” There is real and urgent action to be taken right now in our own back yard on the issue of protecting the Sooke Hills and Sea to Sea Greenbelt from a highway.
It is the most obvious opportunity to demonstrate real Climate Change Emergency Leadership. This is exactly where the rubber hits the road on climate change in our region. If our leaders can’t get this right what hope can the youth who spoke so passionately to the CRD about climate action have in any of us.
Fragmenting the greenbelt’s critical habitat, comprising the safety of our water supply and spending millions on a highway (fossil fuel burning infrastructure) would make a complete mockery of the climate change energy declaration.
The emergency isn’t that we might have to wait 7 hours in our cars if there’s another crash on the Malahat. No, the emergency is that there are too many single occupancy cars going over the Malahat and we haven’t done anything to change that. A highway bypass to keep the carbon heavy status quo speeding steadily forward is not the answer. It’s not the answer those young people were looking for when they asked for a Climate Change Emergency Declaration. They were looking for real climate change leadership and action.
A new highway route is not the solution to the traffic problems on the Malahat.
What would a climate change leader do?
– provide more frequent and cheaper bus service over the Malahat
– implement bus only lanes on appropriate sections of Hwy 1
– install point to point cameras on the Malahat to control speed
– improve ferry service from Mill Bay to the Saanich Peninsula
– explore commuter rail options on the E&N line
These are some greener possibilities.
https://www.facebook.com/rajan.rajan/posts/10157563189628054