Face of Nation : Thousands of young people are taking part in school strikes across Scotland and around the world to demand urgent action on climate change.
They are the latest in a series of strikes started a year ago by 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg. The protests have now spread across 150 countries, with Friday’s action billed as the largest so far.
Events are planned in all of Scotland’s major cities, many towns and some islands including Iona and Skye. Up to 10,000 people are expected in Edinburgh – and about half that figure in Glasgow.
One of those taking part in Glasgow, 12-year-old Meabh, told BBC Scotland she was particularly worried about global warming leading to rising sea levels. “I used to live on the Western Isles – it has been eroding and sinking down into the sea. I think I’m most worried about that because in 100 years there may be no Western Isles,” she said.
Glasgow University student Anna Warren, 18, said adults were being encouraged to join young people at the protests. “This is where we can all come together to call on the government to make changes. It is such a broad thing because it allows everybody to join, it allow everybody to come and help us, and join the movement,” she said.
Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has become a global figurehead on climate change, will be marching in New York after crossing the Atlantic by sailing boat. Scotland’s largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), has urged local authorities not to punish pupils who take part in the strikes.
General secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Whilst the EIS is not encouraging pupils/students to participate in anti-climate change strikes, we recognise that many will do so.
“We believe that their right to do so should be respected and that participants should not be sanctioned or punished as a consequence.
“If we are to encourage our pupils to be confident individuals that effectively contribute to society on global themes including sustainability, we shouldn’t seek to punish them when they campaign for global sustainability.”
Scottish government said it was “pleased to see our young people actively engaging on the issue of climate change”. But a spokesman said student absence was a matter for individual schools to consider. He added: “The global climate emergency and a Green New Deal for Scotland are at the centre of our Programme for Government.
“We are leading by example through bold actions. We are redoubling our efforts and we will end Scotland’s contribution to global climate change by 2045.” Last month, Edinburgh councillors agreed to allow schoolchildren to take part in the protests for one authorised school day per year. And they said no punishment would be levelled at pupils or parents if they chose to strike over a longer period.
However, the protesters have been banned from Princes Street – which was on their planned route, heading to the Scottish Parliament – as it would mean tram services having to stop.
Council officials said this would cost the local authority about £15,000 in damages, and would have a “large impact” on how people travelled to and from Waverley Station.
