Youth in Halifax participate in global rally for climate change
Youth across the world are sounding the alarm on climate change, adding their voices to a global call for action.
On Friday, millions of young people in many large cities came together in a student-led global strike on climate action.
"We're the generation that's going to be able to change this, and I think Barack Obama said something about that we are the first generation to find out the real effects of climate change, and we're the last generation to be able to do something about it," says Meghan Oliver, a university student.
Young people are worried about their future.
"We saw wildfires over the summer, we saw droughts, we saw floods. Climate change is here and we need leaders who actually step up unequivocally," says Gretchen Fitzgerald of Sierra Club Canada Foundation.
Environmental organizations say governments need to treat the climate crisis with the same seriousness as the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We all watch the vaccination rates in Nova Scotia very quickly. I want to hear the (greenhouse gas) rate reduction every single week from this government federally and provincially," says Fitzgerald.
Event organizers say hundreds of people attended a rally in Halifax on Friday. Large numbers were also present in cities around the world, like Rome and Berlin.
On Thursday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York it’s time to grow up and take hold of climate change.
While it's a start, youth say the clock is ticking and governments need to seek solutions before natural disasters increase and the global temperature rises even higher.
Organizers say until they see changes from all three levels of government, they'll continue to hold events as they work to make a difference and create change.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.