Global Climate Strike 2019 or The Global Week of Future, sported a series of international strikes and protests that aimed to invoke public, corporates, and government to understand the graveness of climate instability. A record number of 7.6 million people from 185 countries took to the streets during the week and expressed their outrage and concern over the future of the planet and its inhabitants. From Europe to AsiaPacific and Africa to North American, protests were carried out by the general public, including school children and adults, organizations, and many trade unions.

The Strike was started three days before the UN Climate Summit. Activists marched with banners on the streets, and loudly chanted slogans of ‘There is no planet B,’ ‘Act on Climate,’ ‘Oil, Coal, Gas = Climate Chaos’ and more; with the motive to reach the ears of the decisionmakers/politicians of the world and shake them into action.

The UN climate report suggested that if the use of fossil fuels emitting greenhouse gases is not controlled then the planet’s temperature is likely to rise rapidly by 2 degrees Celsius. The future will be hotter, and natural disasters like flooding, intense storms, and prolonged drought, are inevitable. Moreover, acceleration in the melting of ice in the polar regions is expected to lead to a rise in sea levels up to 7.7 millimeters (0.3 inches) a decade. This will force hundreds of millions of coastal dwellers around the globe to abandon their homes within this century. The exploitation of natural resources to bring about a boom to the economy was cited as one of the significant causes behind environmental exploitation. During the Global Climate Strike 2019, governments, globally, were addressed to take measures and prevent further exploitation. The protests were meant to shake the politicians into action and take climate change seriously.

People demanded that a climate emergency must be declared, fossil fuel companies are held accountable, and increased protection be provided to the Amazon rainforest and other natural habitats and resources. The youth of the worth expressed their outrage at a future that is theirs and seems to be shadowed already by scarcity and unbearable heat.

“Sea Levels are rising, so are we?” asked children at the Global Climate Strike 2019.

The protestors claimed that the governments owed it to the future generation that they treat climate change more sensitively and not let it become a passing issue. The youth rightfully demanded climate justice and sustainable development. At the UN Climate Summit, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year old representative of the youth from Sweden, blamed business mongers for being blinded by greed and treating climate change negligently. She said, “People are suffering. People are dying, and dying ecosystems are collapsing. We are at the beginning of mass extinction, and all you can talk about is the money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”

Fridays for Future, Youth for Climate, and Greenpeace were some of the groups organizing these strikes and spreading the message to the public. A spokesperson for FridaysForFuture said that “People power is more powerful than the people in power. It was the biggest ever climate mobilization, and it’s only the beginning.” Despite the end of the Global Week for Future, the activists and the general public will keep fighting for climate change till strict measures are taken to save the planet.