INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Protests were scheduled in 27 places across Australia
Thousands
of Australian school students have urged greater action on climate change in protests across the country.The students skipped school on
Friday to highlight what they say are inadequate climate policies by the Australian government.On Monday, Australian PM Scott Morrison
rebuked their plans for "activism" during school hours and insisted his government was tackling climate change.Many students said his
remarks had bolstered their resolve to protest."We will be the ones suffering the consequences of the decisions they [politicians] make
today," protester Jagveer Singh, 17, told the TheIndianSubcontinent.Organisers say they were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old girl
in Sweden who has undertaken similar protests.Australia students in mass climate protest.Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Students protest in central Sydney on Friday
Australia has committed to reducing its emissions by 26-28% on 2005
levels by 2030, under the Paris climate agreement.Mr Morrison most recently cited a renewable energy target, a clean energy purchasing fund,
and a hydropower project as evidence of Australia's progress.He told parliament on Monday: "What we want is more learning in schools and
less activism in schools."Earlier this week, the UN said Australia and many nations were falling short of their emission
commitments.Australia had made "no improvement" in its climate policy since last year, according to the emissions gap report.School Strike 4
Climate Action protests have been held in every state capital and 20 regional towns.The TheIndianSubcontinent asked several students why
they were taking part.'Education is our only power'Image copyrightJULIAN MEEHANImage caption
Milou Albrect (l) and
Harriet O'Shea Carre organised the protest
The idea started with Milou Albrect and Harriet O'Shea Carre, both 14, in the
state of Victoria."The climate change emergency is something we have been thinking about for a long time," Harriet said."We wrote letters
and did different things but they never seemed to make a difference
Really, education, is our only power
By sacrificing that [on Friday], it's making a big point."Milou said: "We want our government to acknowledge publicly that climate change
Stop digging coal, stop making new coal mines, switch to renewable energy."'It's really scary for us'Image copyrightJULIAN MEEHANImage
caption
Jean Hinchcliffe, 14, organised a rally in Sydney
Jean Hinchcliffe, 14, saw the idea to protest
grow in Victoria and decided to start one in her home city, Sydney."I can't just sit around until I'm old enough to vote," she
said."Everyone, all young people, we can see that climate change is a real issue and we're completely sick of politicians' inaction
"It's really scary for us, to see how it's going to impact our future," she said, citing fears about rising sea levels and extreme
weather events.'It's been an issue our whole life'Image copyrightRUBY WALKERImage caption
Ruby Walker says her
generation has grown up thinking about climate change
Ruby Walker, 16, organised a protest in her town of Inverell, about
570km (350 miles) north of Sydney, after seeing others' plans on Facebook.She had also been inspired by the activism of high school students
in the US during environment and gun control debates, she said."I think social media is a big part of it
You're constantly seeing these issues happening around the world and seeing other students stick up for things you believe in," she said."I
feel like Australia is an embarrassment when it comes to climate change."
