Millions walking out of classrooms, jobs to support global climate strike

Several happening in B.C. including Pitt River Bridge and Vancouver City Hall.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s another day of global action, with millions of protesters taking to the streets in cities around the world on Friday to demand our leaders do more to tackle climate change.

Young activists have been making their voices heard in places like Delhi, and across Canada at least 85 marches are planned nationally, with other major events in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, whose words and actions, including her “Fridays for Future” marches, inspired the rallies, is in Montreal to speak out.

Locally, thousands are marching across the Lower Mainland, with rallies planned from Vancouver City Hall to the Pitt River Bridge.

The first began at the Pitt River Bridge with people gathering as early as 6:30 a.m.

Several demonstrators arrived to the bridge, carrying signs and waving banners with messages like “No Earth, No Home”

https://twitter.com/IsabelleRaghem/status/1177587621700096000

There are also events in New Westminster, Maple Ridge, Surrey and UBC, however, the main march is set for 1:00 p.m. from Vancouver City Hall to downtown Vancouver.

Many have taken to social media to encourage others to join the movement.

Marches around B.C.:

  • Pitt Meadows:
    • Protesters are set to gather at the Pitt River Bridge starting at 6:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m.
  • Vancouver:
    • UBC: AMS Student Nest, 6133 University Blvd. at 11:00 a.m.
    • Vancouver Convention Centre: Teenage leaders of the Climate Strike movement, supported by municipal leaders from across B.C., to gather at 12:00 p.m.
    • March from Vancouver City Hall over the Cambie Street bridge, ending at the intersection of Georgia and Hamilton Streets kicks off at 1:00 p.m.
  • Victoria:
    • B.C. Legislature: Students from the University of Victoria, Camosun, and all other regional schools will gather at 11:00 a.m.
    • B.C. Legislature: Students will march and hold a street party starting at 12:00 p.m. through the downtown core until 5:00 p.m.
  • Vernon:
    • A rally will take place in front of the Vernon Law Courts at 12:00 p.m.

Some businesses are also shutting their doors today, encouraging employees to take part in the climate strike, including Vancouver-based Lush Cosmetics and Mountain Equipment Co-op.

However, Steven Jones — a candidate in MEC’s previous board elections — suggests the co-op isn’t putting its money where it’s mouth is, claiming the company is not paying part time staff who were scheduled to work today.

“I think that’s concerning that the frontline staff that are receiving very little pay, relative to senior management or the CEO, for example, are not going to receive any compensation as a part of going to this,” he says.

He also says Mountain Equipment has not met its modest carbon footprint targets, and that the co-op has pulled out of a program where it used to give one per cent of its sales revenue to environmental causes.

Read more: MEC hourly staff to reportedly lose pay as co-op shuts doors for global climate strike

Meantime, Friday’s climate rallies cap off a week of international protests and calls to do more to slow climate change.

Recent reports have highlighted the best and worst case scenarios, including what could happen if leaders don’t take urgent and significant action.

Earlier this week, a report from the World Meteorological Organization reaffirmed that the last five years have been the warmest on record, and over that same period, the amount of CO2 being dumped into the atmosphere has risen 20 per cent compared to the previous five years.

The most worrying impact for people on the west coast highlighted in these reports is sea level rise, which has also accelerated to five millimeters every year.

The UN’s Secretary-General has said the issue of climate change is so serious, that he’s convinced it is “the defining issue of our time.”

Listen live for traffic updates every 10 minutes on the ones. You can also follow us on Twitter @NEWS1130Traffic or subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

-With files from Breakfast Television, The Associated Press and The Canadian Press

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today