27th of November 2019: Global Climate Strike in St Andrews
Follow the winds of change
On Friday the 29th of November 2019 school children, students and climate activists once again gathered around the world for the 4th global climate strike just before the start of COP25 in Madrid, Spain. For Climate Action St Andrews the 29th of November marked our 4th climate strike of the year and this one had the theme: “follow the winds of change”.
We also introduced the initiative of wearing red for the Climate Emergency – especially for those who were unable to join us for the climate strike and windfarm signing ceremony at West Sands beach. After our success on the 20th of September we knew that it would be difficult to gather another massive crowd in the cold at the end of November, but it is not about doing what is easy but rather what we know is right.
The skies were blue but the air crisp and cold. Yet, we were once again joined by hundreds of school children and students. Around 200 school children from Bell Baxter High School in Cupar joined the strike. Together we form part of a global movement and joined millions of youth climate strikers around the world.
Climate justice is our right and we need leaders to know that they are being held accountable. We are not giving up on our future – not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We are the eyes, the ears and the voices of the future!
Our specific focus for this St Andrews Climate Strike was renewable energy and the Kenly Windfarm. The Kenly Windfarm initiative is a University-led project that could power the entire University on renewable energy. However, currently the project is being blocked by the Ministry of Defence.
“Today we stand together for renewable energy solutions. We deserve clean air that is free of pollution and we deserve a world below 1.5°C warming. But we can only achieve that by implementing renewable energy solutions and phasing out the fossil fuels that keep us trapped in a warming world. That is why our focus today is on renewable energy solutions and more locally the Kenly windfarm. Change might be uncomfortable for some, but it needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. Today we stand in solidarity for it.”
Starting from St Salvator’s Quad we marched along the four streets of St Andrews down to West Sands beach. There we heard speeches from local politicians and parties and had a windfarm signing ceremony.
“Let’s never forget the energy that we carry with us today. That passion – keep it bottled up inside of you. The world is changed by those who can imagine it differently. So, let’s dream big and remember the change that a few passionate and committed individuals can make! We are standing here today – together. United. On one Earth and for one Earth.”
Linked above on Eco-Activist Journeys you can find my “Green Friday” Radio Show about the Climate Strike with two students from Bell Baxter High School, Rebecca McQueen and Sophie Gent, as well as Emma Saisi and Kathleen Pitches from Fashion Revolution St Andrews. We discussed the St Andrews Climate Strike that morning, activism, consumerism, fast fashion, standing up for climate justice, hope and the start of a new revolution and a new Earth.
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