Why we must all stand up and be counted in Global Strike for Climate – Judith Maxwell

Back in 1901 the Okjokull glacier was estimated to span an area of 38 square kilometres, reducing to 15 square kilometres in 1986 and now only a few dashes of ice remain.

I looked up the details after attending a TUC meeting in Huddersfield about climate change.

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I went to the gathering as a member of the public to find out about local activity after hearing a talk by the very 
impressive 23-year-old Luisa Neubauer about why we should all become climate activists.

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With Greta Thunberg, she helped initiate “Fridays For Future” – the momentous international school strike movement that protests the lack of action on climate change.

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There were a number of speakers; a councillor, a representative from Extinction Rebellion, a writer and a schoolboy.

Passion for the challenges ahead and a keen sense of urgency to take action along with a growing frustration about not being heard were the underlying factors that united the speakers and most of the audience.

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It was a TUC meeting, so class was an inevitable subject matter, but it was particularly pertinent as the most disadvantaged in society around the world are the ones most likely to be impacted by the climate crisis.

An example given was Kim Kardashian and Kanye West paying private firefighters to save their $60m mansion and neighbours’ homes from California fires this summer.

But this issue is not only about class. Every individual on the planet is going to be impacted and have their life and lifestyle changed (probably sometime soon) after all. It is, however, an issue of power, who holds it and how they use it.

For over 30 years, the leaders around the world have continued to ignore the science, the evidence and their corporate responsibility to the environment and the planet with the never-ending frenzied focus on profits and economic growth driving decision-making.

The current shareholder business model with the stock market motivated by fear and greed is clearly behind this.

But there are successful ethical companies around the world that manage both their global and corporate social responsibility and still make a profit.

They do this because they live ethical values which encourage and support diversity, creativity, on-going learning and development along with excellent staff relations – in fact their success is down to these qualities.

I don’t believe that capitalism per se is “evil”, but unfettered capitalism is undoubtedly destructive.

Politicians are failing in their duty to prevent the damaging, powerful and influential forces of the corporate world and we are also failing in our duty as voters and consumers to hold them all to account.

If the current politicians, CEOs, boards of directors and shareholders are not going to make the transformation necessary to help mitigate the crisis that we are already in, then what else can be done?

As consumers we are probably already doing the easy bit, recycling, avoiding single use plastic, using plastic bags, supporting Oxfam and charities with its second hand September, maybe giving up meat for a few days a week and feeling a bit virtuous.

But most of us have not yet stood up – and been counted as an alternative force to be reckoned with – which will make politicians and shareholders really take notice and listen.

This is where organisations such as Extinction Rebellion (XR) come into play, where their members are prepared to disrupt our day-to-day and put themselves on the line, without violence (but with possible arrest) so that our future day-to-days can be enjoyed without too much disruption.

They have shown us one way of protesting, but there are other ways. If you don’t have the appetite to join them then there are other things you can do, telling your friends, using social media, writing to your MP, supporting the school children in “Fridays for Future”.

History has shown that collective action, and ongoing collective action, cannot be ignored forever – it is how some of our most substantial social transformations have taken place.

If you don’t know where to start, then there is a big opportunity to be part of the “Global Strike for Climate” which is being held today in cities, town centres and schools around the country and around the world.

Whoever you are, you have the opportunity to support our incredibly precious and beautiful blue-green globe by turning up and showing that you care.

I’ll be in St George’s Square in Huddersfield, apprehensive and excited. I hope to see you there.

Judith Maxwell is 
a freelance writer.