Nelson’s Fridays for Future hosts COVID-safe event to raise Climate Change awareness
By Nelson Daily Staff
After watching hurricanes and wildfires level cities in the United States and smoke from those fires choke communities north of the 49th parallel, contrary to belief of some politicians, Climate Change is affecting the health and daily life of countries throughout the world.
Which is why Nelson’s Fridays for Future continues to lobby municipal, provincial and federal politicians declare a climate emergency, aim to transition for net-zero emissions by 2025 and create citizen’s assemblies to oversee this transition.
Nelson’s Fridays for Future will assemble once again Friday, September 25 at Lakeside Park from 12:30-2:30 p.m. to continue to raise awareness that the world is slowly, but surely, running out of time in its bid to stop climate change.
Youth striker Mason Voykin said while none of these actions have so far been taken, the youth organizers of Fridays for Future are confident that their actions are creating change, even while they call on governments to do more.
“Even though governments municipally, provincially and federally have so far failed to take action on our requests, we have contributed significantly to the general conversation around climate change, locally and on a wider scale,” Voykin said.
Calypso Blackman agreed, saying the amount of support our actions over the past year have received shows that there is widespread public support for meaningful climate action.
“We are confident that governments will see this, and take the necessary action to protect our planet,” Blackman said.
Blackman and Ginger Osecki have been striking outside Nelson City Hall in Fridays for more than a year, starting back in August 2019.
The pair have been joined on various days by other strikers, youth and adults alike, including for the September 20th Global Strike, which in Nelson attracted 1,500-2,000 people — believed to be the biggest ever general strike in the Heritage City.
Nelson’s Fridays for Future group, one of the most active in Canada, has several requests for government.
In collaboration with Stop Ecocide Canada, the group is also asking the federal government to support making ecocide — mass destruction of the environment — a crime at the International Criminal Court, alongside genocide, war crimes, crimes of aggression, and crimes against humanity.
Fridays for Future Nelson will be holding a physically distanced strike on Friday to encourage governments to do just that.
“In recent months, climate change seems to be viewed as a less pressing issue,” said FFF member, Oscar Hunter.
“We know that emissions are still rising, and we need to take action urgently.”
Hunter said Fridays for Future Nelson is holding a COVID-safe event Friday, September 25th, in coordination with the global day of action.
“We hope to have enough people at the park to line the Orange Bridge from end to end, six-feet apart,” Hunter said.
Nelson’s Fridays for Future organziers want the public to keep their eyes open when it comes to climate change. — Submitted photo
