Thousands of students across Aotearoa will strike on Friday, May 15th as they continue their call for climate action from the government.

In Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, students will gather at Civic Square from midday and march to Parliament Grounds.

In Ōtautahi/Christchurch, students will gather at the Bridge of Remembrance from midday.

Both strikes will be advocating for the immediate reinstatement of the ban on oil and gas exploration, included in the demands listed below. The striking students are calling on the government to halt policies that prioritise short-term economic interests over long-term environmental sustainability, climate justice, and indigenous rights.

DEMANDS:

1. Reinstate the 2018 Ban on Oil and Gas Exploration

School Strike 4 Climate demands the immediate reinstatement of the 2018 ban on gas and oil exploration. The ban was originally put in place to ensure New Zealand reduced its reliance on fossil fuels. Reversing the ban was a detrimental political play, entirely disregarding the negative environmental consequences and dashing New Zealand’s hopes of becoming a carbon-neutral nation.

‘We need a ban on new gas and oil because young people should not have to inherit a future made worse by decisions being made today. Expanding fossil fuels locks in more climate pollution, when we urgently need to cut emissions and invest in clean energy that protects our communities, creates jobs, and builds a safer future for everyone,’ says Kereama Allen, National Coordinator.

2. Provide Free Public Transport for Under-25s

A coalition between School Strike 4 Climate, Free Fares, and Parents for Climate calls for free public transport for students under 25. In light of the recent fuel crisis, this demand aims to support young people in having affordable access to their education and reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis, particularly on secondary and tertiary school students.

‘Public transport is more key than ever to how rangatahi across Aotearoa interact with their local communities, get to school, and access vital services like GPs, hospitals, or any sort of mental health service. Investment into our public transport helps to build safe, affordable, and more sustainable cities. Providing free public transport fares for anyone under the age of 25 would reinforce that public transport should be at the forefront of infrastructural planning if we want future-proof cities that are sustainable in the long run.’ says School Strike 4 Climate Co-Director Jamin Fountain.

3. Lower the Voting Age to Sixteen

In support of Make It 16, School Strike 4 Climate advocates for the voting age to be lowered to sixteen. The current voting age is a direct breach of New Zealand’s Bill of Rights and lowering the voting age supports young people to have their say in civics. Additionally, lowering the voting age has been proven to support voter engagement overseas and School Strike 4 Climate believes New Zealand should follow suit in order to best engage young people in the country.

‘We can work full-time, consent, pay taxes, drive, get married, and own a firearm but we don’t have a voice come election day. Lowering the voting age will strengthen our democracy, create lifelong voters, and make politics more representative of all of us.’ says Fountain.

4. Recognise a Palestinian State

School Strike 4 Climate calls for the end of the unlawful occupation of Palestine and for a two-state solution. Recognising a Palestinian state is the first step in acknowledging the years of violence that the Palestinian people have been subject to, paving the way to a fairer, safer future for all young people living in conflict. If New Zealand truly intends to pursue a two-state solution as a nation, recognising a Palestinian state is the bare minimum.

‘No young person should ever be subject to a genocide. Yet, our government has seemingly turned its back on Palestine, disregarding the tens of thousands of deaths occurring in the Gaza Strip. Innocent children are dying. And despite what some may imply, there is no pride in genocide,’ says School Strike 4 Climate Co-Director Miki Inoue-Palmer.

5. Revoke the Fast Track Approvals Act

The Fast Track Approvals Act allows important environmental protections for precious whenua to be bypassed in lieu of chasing quick, unethical profits. The act fails to recognise the rights of Māori as tangata whenua and is detrimental to New Zealand’s natural environment, allowing the prioritisation of corporate wants over climate justice.

‘The Fast Track Approvals Act is our government’s way of saying they care more about profit than they do about our planet. So, this strike is our way of saying that sometimes our voices should matter more than theirs,’ says Inoue-Palmer.

MEANING BEHIND SLOGAN:

School Strike 4 Climate’s slogan for the upcoming strike is ‘One World, One Future, One Chance’. This was chosen to represent the organisation’s stance against the climate crisis.

‘We do not have decades in which to sit on our hands while our governments are all talk and no action. Young people deserve just, equitable futures on a thriving planet–not crumbling ecosystems, energy crises, and an extreme weather event every other week.’ says Inoue-Palmer.

‘It is impossible to deny that we are in the middle of a climate crisis. This is not a thing to be left to future generations; it is a problem that is affecting our planet right now, and it is therefore crucial that our government listens to the voice of rangatahi and takes urgent action,’ says Brooke Winter, Christchurch Director.

School Strike 4 Climate believes that irresponsibility on behalf of the government has caused a great deal of harm to indigenous communities, the planet, and rangatahi in Aotearoa. The organisation’s message is clear: New Zealanders have one shared world, one united future, and one meaningful chance that needs to be taken. Now.

CALL TO ACTION:

School Strike 4 Climate calls on New Zealanders of all ages, backgrounds, and communities to join this crucial fight for climate justice.

‘Our planet needs us and we need to stand up for what we stand on. Now is the time to fight for a fairer future for all. Now is the time to call upon our government (and the governments succeeding) to protect our environment, our people, and our country’s indigenous sovereignty. Now is the time to send a clear message to our leaders: we have one world, one future, one chance. And we need to take it.’ say Inoue-Palmer and Fountain, in a statement made on behalf of the Wellington branch.

Both strike events will begin at midday, meeting at Civic Square in Wellington and the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch. They will feature a range of speakers and are open to all.

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