Fighting lack of climate action, student protests gain steam worldwide温暖化への対処の遅れ ベルギーの学生たちが抗議

Tens of thousands of Belgian students skipped classes for the fourth week in a row on Jan. 31. They are part of a growing youth protest over global warming.

Around 30,000 teenagers gathered in Brussels and other cities in Belgium. They beat drums, chanted and carried signs. They called on local politicians to take stronger action to fight climate change.

“It’s our planet and the generation before us hasn’t done anything,” said Julian Rume, 17. “In 20, 30 years, we will all be migrants, we’ll all be moved out of our planet.”

The demonstrations are part of a global grassroots movement started by a Swedish teen, Greta Thunberg. She was 15 when she decided to skip school last year on Aug. 20 after Sweden’s heat waves and wildfires. She wanted Sweden to cut its carbon emissions. She skips school every Friday to protest.

Students in Germany, Switzerland, France and Australia have followed her lead. (Reuters)