A letter from Katerina Gaita, Climate for Change's Founder and CEO, on the impact of September Global Climate Strikes and what we can collectively do next.
26 September, 2019
Dear friends,
Firstly, apologies for not sending this email sooner. Immediately after the climate strike, I was on a train to Traralgon in Latrobe Valley, where we spent the weekend training a wonderful new bunch of volunteers. I’m just catching up with everything else now.
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen photos and footage of the Global Climate Strike - over 4 million people around the world made clear they want serious climate action from our world leaders now. Over 300,000 in Australia, including over 100,000 in Melbourne. In fact some - including the Herald Sun - are reporting 150,000. That’s bigger than the Grand Final - now that’s breaking through!
If you came along on Friday - or supported the strikes in some other way - thank you! Thank you so, so much, especially if it was the first time you’ve attended such an event.
World leaders didn’t deliver what we need at the UN Climate Action Summit over the weekend and our own leader made remarks that demonstrate a stubborn refusal to engage meaningfully with the issue at hand. But we always knew that would be the case.
Nonetheless, the strikes were an important moment in building the momentum that will eventually force our leaders to take the action we need. We know from past movements, change requires us all to work to build on that momentum. Let this be just the beginning.
There will be another strike and when it comes, I hope you will help make it even bigger. If you didn’t make this one, do all you can to make the next - take leave ahead of time, plan your workload; if you’re out of town, find a strike near where you are. If you came to this one, make it your mission to recruit at least two friends - imagine 450,000 people in the streets of Melbourne!
In the meantime, please keep the pressure on those with the power to make the changes we need.
Our fortnightly newsletter always has actions you can take to do so. The next one comes out on Friday 4th October. Why not put aside some time in your diary before the following Monday to action those items? Why not put a standing date in your diary every fortnight - and invite some friends to join you?
Or you can join one of the MP Engagement Groups around Australia that have sprung up as a result of Climate for Change Conversations in the last year. Find out more here.
In solidarity,
Katerina