On the 23rd of August School Strike NZ will join Ollie Langridge in his 100th day of sitting outside of New Zealand
Parliament calling for the government to declare a climate emergency. School Strike 4 Climate NZ also demand that
Parliament acknowledge the magnitude of the climate crisis by declaring a nationwide climate emergency. The group wants
to show Ollie support, aroha, and respect for his vigil, and they are inviting everyone to do so with them on his 100th
day. An event will take place on Parliament lawn where hundreds are expected to stand in solidarity on the 23rd, and
students across over New Zealand are also planning events on this date in their own communities.
"We are standing with Ollie to show that we are a united force of people all fighting for our planet, our homes, our
futures. The science could not be clearer: we are on the brink of irreversible, catastrophic change. We need to call
Climate Change what it is: a crisis, an emergency" says Sophie Handford, coordinator SS4C NZ.
"Declaring a Climate Emergency will set the narrative for the urgent action that is needed to respond to climate change.
The threshold of 1.5 degrees warming means crossing a point of no return for our Earth. We simply cannot afford to
continue with business as usual.
It is an emergency, and those making our country’s decisions need to act like it" says Tony Huang of SS4C NZ. Ollie’s
100th day, is just five weeks out from the Intergenerational Strike for Climate being organised by SS4C NZ on Friday
27th September. Thousands of students will come together again to demand climate justice but this time, with unions,
parents, teachers, workers and grandparents standing united too. Sophie Handford says, "Climate change will affect us
all, and for many it already is, as is the case for Pasifika peoples, so on September 27th, we will show that we are an
undivided force of New Zealanders, demanding climate justice to protect our collective home, before it is too late." In
the lead up to September 27th’s Strike 4 Climate, SS4C NZ will be launching a campaign to ask why people will be taking
climate action. ‘What’s Your Why?’ will ask New Zealanders why they are standing up for climate justice. They are asking
people from across Aotearoa to tell them their stories and their reason for demanding action. More information will be
released in the coming days as the campaign begins.