Student climate change strike: Why young Kiwis are demanding more action
There's more than just megaphones and marches when it comes to the country's school strikers. They're demanding change from the Government. Stuff chats to five young leaders about what they're fighting for. Kiwi kids are again picking up their megaphones to make sure their cries for climate change action are heard. Thousands of New Zealand children, teenagers and adults will march side-by-side on Friday September 27 to demand action against climate change. It's the third wave in a series of strikes to take place throughout the year. READ MORE: * Student climate strike: Rules don't matter when you're fighting for your future * Youth have 'woken up' New Zealand on climate, says Amnesty International * Lucy Gray and the Prime Minister compare notes on climate change * New Zealand in 2050: The scenario if temperatures keep rising * Think climate strike kids can't change anything? A new study says otherwise But what are the school kids actually demanding? What do they want our Government to change? And are their demands reasonable? We chat to five young New Zealanders who are fighting for change. THE DEMANDS The school strikers have five core demands : They are calling on the Government to declare a climate emergency, and asking for cross-party support for the Zero Carbon Act. They are also demanding the end of all exploration and extraction of fossil fuels, and investment in building a renewable and regenerative economy. A fifth and final demand has just been created, which aims to support the Pacific. Ultimately, the school strikers want the New Zealand Government to do everything in its power to limit warming to 1.5 degrees and safeguard their right to a future on Earth. A CLIMATE EMERGENCY? One of the school strikers' main demands is for the Government to declare a climate change emergency. Sophie Handford, one of the four co-orindators of School Strike for Climate , says a sense of urgency is needed to combat climate change now. "We see that the move of declaring a climate emergency to set the narrative for the urgent pace at which we need to act on climate change. But at the same time it must uphold our democratic values." It's not just young people who have voiced their opinions on this. Ollie Langridge protested outside parliament for 100 days , pleading for politicians to declare a national climate emergency. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has previously said the Government is not opposed to declaring one. In May, Green MP Chloe Swarbrick attempted to move a motion to declare a climate emergency , but it was blocked by the National Party. The party's position on the subject has not changed. At the time, National's Todd Muller said the focus needed to be on developing real plans to drive emissions down, rather than making empty declarations. Climate Change Minister James Shaw told Stuff he supported the declaration of a climate emergency from the whole parliament, not just the executive. "I remain committed to that." Handford, 18, says declaring an emergency here is a realistic and achievable goal. However she understands the need for a cross-party consensus. "We know exactly what we need to do here so I think it's just kicking into gear and acknowledging that there's so much at stake. The cost of inaction - you can't put a price on. "This is the only home we have, we're not going to be able to just buy a new one when we have destroyed this place to the point where we can't bring future generations up on this planet." Handford believes making a declaration would bring about action and change more quickly. "For example with the Zero Carbon Bill, hopefully we'd see that declaration of emergency would influence the urgency of the targets and ambitiousness of the targets as well. "It really does give people a really strong mandate to hold the Government to account as well." ZERO CARBON The school strikers are also demanding that political parties support the passing of the Zero Carbon Act into law. They want a legally enforceable plan to be put in place to get to net zero carbon by 2040. Climate Change Minister James Shaw told Stuff the current Zero Carbon Bill proposes to reach net zero by 2050 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a reduction target, policies for adaptation and mitigation and a Climate Change Commission. "I have long said that I am proud of our work on climate change action but of course would like to be moving further and faster, I urge the student strikers to keep holding us to account in that regard." Shaw says that by Christmas , there will be long-lasting legislation to get the country to net-zero carbon by 2050. "In saying this, students have every right to ask for stronger and bolder action and I urge them to do so." School striker Tony Huang, 15, says the Bill is a step in the right direction, and "one of the most important pieces of legislation we've seen in our lifetime". However the Bill as it currently stands "only makes New Zealand do the bare minimum required to align with international goals", Huang says. The students want the targets to be more ambitious, and have a series of specific demands they'd like to see integrated into the Bill. These include setting the carbon neutrality deadline to 2040 - a whole decade earlier - as well as establishing a youth advisory panel, increasing the methane reduction target to 47 per cent, and ensuring the Bill aligns with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. "We believe that all of these demands are realistic and will only increase the effectiveness of the Zero Carbon Bill." The Bill has passed its first reading. It's currently before the Environment Select Committee , which is expected to deliver a report back to the House on October 21. The committee received more than 10,000 written submissions and heard about 1500 verbal submissions - one of which was a submission from School Strike for Climate which included these additions. Huang says he'd like to see their recommendations added during the select committee stage. "We have a moral duty to do more than the bare minimum when it comes to climate action." The Bill will need to pass its second and third reading in parliament before it can become law. GOODBYE FOSSIL FUELS The strikers' third demand is centred around fossil fuels. They want the Government to cease all exploration and extraction of fossil fuels - including not granting extensions of existing permits. In 2018, the Government announced an end to new offshore oil and gas exploration in New Zealand . Fellow strike co-ordinator Raven Maeder says it was a big win for her and a lot of other young people who had been making a stand against fossil fuels and the oil industry . Maeder, 21, says she's been involved in the oil-free movement since she was about 13 years old. "I feel quite passionate about this demand in particular and School Strike For Climate are very strong on this demand because of how important it is for our right to inherit a liveable future that we don't continue to explore and develop fossil fuels." Although the Government is not granting new permits , existing oil and gas exploration permits are allowed to continue for now. In July, the Government also extended an income tax exemption for oil rigs to 2024 to stop rigs "churning" in and out of New Zealand waters. Maeder says if the country is serious about limiting warming to 1.5C , the exploration around fossil fuels cannot continue. Although the Government's made big promises for meaningful action, Maeder says fossil fuel development has "definitely not ended in Aotearoa". "I think it's crazy that in 2019, having known about the threat of climate change for over 50 years - way longer than most people in the school strike for climate movement have been alive - we're still talking about the cost of action and failing to consider the cost of inaction both to my generation, but also to the many people in communities including our neighbours in the Pacific who are dealing with that cost right now . "I just think it's really disrespectful and irresponsible to continue developing these industries when they're already causing so much harm." Shaw says the Government has put an end to all new offshore petroleum exploration which was good progress, and kick-started the transition to a low carbon economy - one that would be carbon neutral by 2050. "Over the coming decades, as the just transition progresses, we expect to see a wind down of petroleum extraction activity in New Zealand." Shaw says the Government is committed to a transition to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. By 2035 it also has a target to have 100 per cent renewable electricity in a normal hydrological year, meaning top-ups from gas and other fuels would reduce over time. A CLEANER, GREENER NZ For their fourth demand, the school strikers want the Government to invest in a renewable and regenerative economy now. At just 12, Lucy Gray is one of the four national organisers behind the countrywide strike movement. She says that over the next few decades, many of New Zealand's industries - coal, oil, transport, agriculture and dairy farming - are going to be impacted in the fight against emissions and climate change. As part of their fourth demand, the strikers want immediate investment in retraining, and the provision of alternative jobs in clean, sustainable industries. They want it to be a just transition, involving all communities, tangata whenua and youth. Lucy says their fourth demand is all about looking to the future and making sure there's investment and conversations that are happening now. "We can't just leave it to the last minute." She says it's also important the people who work in those industries who are going to be impacted the most , are consulted. "That's how they put food on the table and we need to create new opportunities with their skillset in mind, that they are going to enjoy doing." Lucy says she'd like to see this demand become a much bigger part of conversations taking place in parliament and in councils. James Shaw says the Government is committed to a just and rapid transition to a low emissions economy, because "it's vital that we play our part in looking after our planet". The Government now has a Climate Action Plan , which looks at many sectors and includes initiatives around driving down emissions, establishing the Green Investment Fund, and making clean and electric cars more affordable. "The transition to a low emissions economy will require all sectors of the New Zealand economy to work together, from energy to transport to agriculture, and through both central and local government," Shaw says. LET'S HELP OUR NEIGHBOURS Last week the school strikers added a fifth demand to their list, which aims to support the Pacific Islands. The final demand was created as a combined effort between the school strikers and an activist group called the 350 Pacific Climate Warriors. Together, they demand that the Government honours its responsibility to the Pacific Islands by ensuring its domestic climate policies align with the Paris Agreement 1.5 goal . They also demand for public adaptation plan for climate change survivors to migrate to New Zealand with dignity, and actively supporting the regional and international diplomatic efforts of Pacific Islands Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) to increase climate ambition and mitigate the climate crisis before it's too late. Mary Gafaomalietoa Sapati Moeono-Kolio, a 28-year-old Samoan-New Zealander, is the co-ordinator of the Pacific Climate Warriors Wellington team. She says the island nations are already seeing the impacts of climate change , as the Pacific's low-lying islands are being threatened by rising sea levels , stronger king tides and frequent cyclones . She says it's important to recognise the role New Zealand plays in the Pacific, and encourage support and allegiance. It's also important for there to be Pacific voices included in discussions and decisions around climate change action, she says. Moeono-Kolio says that Pacific communities contribute to the fabric of New Zealand. "So if we lose the Pacific Islands, New Zealand changes too." On Friday, these young New Zealanders will be among the thousands of people marching in the streets with megaphones and placards, crying out for change. Friday is the third day of action from the School Strike For Climate group, who also demonstrated in March and May .