"We want climate action now".
That was the call from about 200 Christchurch pupils who skipped class today to take part in a nationwide School Strike 4 Climate march.
Rallies were held in 15 locations nationwide, demanding more radical climate action from the Government.
Protesters were encouraged to walk or bike to the event.
Rally co-organiser Aurora Garner-Randolph said the impact of climate change was getting worse and worse, and pupils want to do the best they can to ensure the next generations have a liveable future.
"We know that we're in a climate crisis right now and extreme weather events are heating up.
"But despite that, we're seeing very minimal action from the Government, very minimal action from our local council, and we're here to demand that we see more."
Other demands included lowering the voting age to 16 and funding farmers to transition to regenerative farming.
Organisers also called out companies they claim are guilty of 'greenwashing' - using clean green images to help improve their marketing.
"Greenwashing is a pretty common marketing tactic that we see popping up in these big oil companies, these big flight companies, these big dairy companies that are actually the biggest climate criminals in our country."
Garner-Randolph said this was their second protest march this year and pupils hoped to do more.
- By Geoff Sloan
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
