“So why are we all here? We are here because our government is failing us. We are here to act on our power as constituents. And we are here because the climate crisis is a threat to our existence on this planet.”
These are the words of Emma Galbraith, one of the teenagers who helped to organize the Austin Climate Strike on Friday, September 20th. Large crowds gathered at the Texas Capitol building on Friday, listening to Emma and many other community members speak, and calling for climate justice and urgent action on climate change.
More specifically, strike organizers released this list of five demands, directed at local government:
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The City Of Austin MUST divest all monies from the fossil fuel industry by 2030.
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The Lower Colorado River Authority and Austin Energy MUST close Fayette Coal Plant.
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The State Of Texas MUST declare a climate emergency plan with real teeth.
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The City Of Austin MUST close Austin Energy’s coal and natural gas plants by 2025 and provide workers with just transitions and training to jobs in renewable energy.
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The State of Texas MUST promise to have 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2050.
Missed the strike? You can get a recap of what happened by watching the two videos (recorded by Al Braden) below, or by scrolling through the photos AEN took of the strike (also below).
And if you attended the strike (or were inspired by it) and are now wondering what you can do next, be sure to check out our new Beyond The Strike series. Part One (focusing on energy) and Part Two (focusing on the City of Austin’s climate plan) are now available online.
Videos from the Austin Climate Strike, by Al Braden
Photos from the Austin Climate Strike, by Amy Stansbury
