Credit: Jordan Hunter
Writer
The protests are inspired by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
At 11am on Friday, thousands are expected to protest at George Square in a global climate strike inspired by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
The global climate strike is part of the Future movement that began in August 2018 after Thunberg sat in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks to protest the lack of action on the climate crisis.
The Glasgow strikers will join millions around the world and up to 3,000 strikes will take place worldwide, with the aim of placing climate change at the top of the international agenda, according to Global Climate Strike’s official website.
There are currently 2,000 people interested on the event’s official Facebook event.
In September, this movement attracted over 10,000 people to take to the streets in Glasgow and 8 million worldwide to call for action against to prevent further harm to the planet. The Campaign Against Climate Change has stated the importance of this strike in the UK as this protest will take place just two weeks prior to the UK general election on 12 December and it also will be directly before the UN climate talks, which have now moved to Madrid from Chile.
People can find their nearest protest by consulting the Fridays for Future map, which shows demonstration in 130 countries. Additionally, for those who will not be at Friday’s strike, the global climate strike website is another resource with ideas on how to organise action in their workplace or community.
The organisers of Friday’s protest have asserted the importance of the climate strike on a global scale. A representative for the strike wrote on the Global Strike for Climate Facebook event: “This time, we urge you to think not just of your children but also of those who have been fighting for generations. We urge you to remember those whose lives have already been disrupted by the climate crisis and remember those whose lives have been lost.”
Organisers of Glasgow’s climate strike have stated that it is important to “Remember that in Scotland, we largely approach this issue from a position of privilege, and we must use our movement to empower marginalised people.”
The strike this Friday will coincide with Black Friday. Although not a traditional holiday in the UK, the sales that Black Friday offer have gradually been incorporated into consumer culture in many countries in recent years.
Greenpeace have stressed that in the EU, up to 2 million tonnes of used clothing are generated every year. This year Greenpeace are urged consumers to take a break and join the “Buy Nothing Day” movement, a protest against consumerism that annually coincides with Black Friday and this year, will coincide with the Global Climate strike.
